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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A45330	The beauty of magistracy in an exposition of the 82 Psalm, where is set forth the necessity, utility, dignity, duty, and mortality of magistrates : here many other texts of Scripture occasionally are cleared, many quæries and cases of conscience about the magistrates power, are resolved, many anabaptistical cavils are confuted, and many seasonable observations containing many other heads of divinity, are raised : together with references to such authors as clear any point more fully / by Thomas Hall ... ; with an additional sermon on verse 6, by George Swinnock.	Hall, Thomas, 1610-1665.; Swinnock, George, 1627-1673. Men are gods.	1660 (1660)	Wing H427; ESTC R18061	228,882	316

Allegation for their illegal proceedings They argued that because they were Gods they might tyrannize over men That the stamp of a Deity on them would make them currant com though they were never so light The Holy Ghost granteth them to be Gods but denyeth the consequence that therefore they may live as they list and rule according to their lusts or do the work of the Divel For though they are Gods in respect of their Places and Power yet they are Men in respect of their frailty and nature They must die like men and fall like one of the Princes The 6. verse cloatheth men with Maiesty I have said ye are Gods c. The 7. verse cloatheth Gods with Mortality But ye shall die like men They are Gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is in their Politick capacity in regard of their power and rule but they are not so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in their Physical capacity and in regard of their nature and essence Though ye are now above others yet shortly ye shall be laid as low as others and then ye shall both answer and suffer for wronging of others The height of your places will not excuse the wickedness of your practices for though ye are high yet there is one higher then the highest of you to whom you must give an account of all your injustice and oppression We see then that the sixth verse containeth a Concession of the Magistrates power how it is by divine appointment and institution In it we may take notice First of the Magistrates Honour Ye are Gods and children of the most High Secondly The Author of it I have said it Or the Text presenteth us ● With the Magistrates Commission Ye are Gods and children of the most High 2. It s Seal or Confirmation I have said The Commission for Magistracy is here confirmed under the broad Seal of Heaven I i. e. I that am the Lord of Lords and King of Kings the mighty possessor of Heaven and Earth I that am Commander in Cheif of the whole world and have power to appoint whom I please to be my Vicegerents do call and constitute you to be my Deputy-Lieutenants on earth I whose word is sufficient warrant for any Office or Ordinance I have said ye are Gods Have said How God speaketh is a point almost unspeakable God speaketh or ●aith as well as man but not after the same manner he doth not form a voyce by such organs or instruments of speech But when God speaketh He doth either create a voyce in the air as Matth. 3. 17. or declare and make known his mind sometimes secretly and immediately to the spirits of the Prophets so that phrase The word of the Lord came unto me so frequently used in Scripture is to be understood sometimes publickly and mediately by the Prophets to the people So then I have said that is I have in my Word manifested this to be my will That ye sho●● 〈◊〉 Gods amongst men Exod. 21. 28. I that speak 〈◊〉 none may or who dareth disannul it I who said 〈◊〉 there be light and there was light I who appoin●● 〈◊〉 the Sun to rule the day the Moon and the Stars 〈◊〉 rule the night I have said Be ye Gods and 〈◊〉 shall be Gods I have appointed you in power an● dignity to excel others and to rule over them on earth as the greater Luminaries do the lesser in the Heavens Ye are Gods That is in my place and stead amongst men To receive honour from them both of reverence and obedience To distribute justice amongst them both zealously and impartially To be terrours to evil doers and encouragements to them that do well To govern from love to my Name according to the rule of my Law for my honour and praise as likewise the good and profit of the people The word God is taken diversly in Scripture 1. Properly and so it is given only to him who is Essentially and by Nature God Who is an Infinite being of himself and from whom all others have their being And in this sense it is mentioned sometimes Generally without any Limitation to a certain person as Heb. 12. ult Iohn 4. 24. sometimes Singularly with a Determination to one person as to the Father Iohn 3. 16. to the Son Rom. 9. 5. 1 Tim. 3. 16. to the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 3. 16 17. 2. Improperly and so it is given to them who by nature are not Gods As 1. To the Devil in regard of his unjust usurpation and wicked mens corruption 2 Cor. 4. 4. He is called The God of this world He usurpeth the honour and Soveraignty of God Matth. 4. 9. and the wicked world obeyeth him as if he were a God Iohn 8. 44. The God he is not of the world simply but of this world of this sinful world that lyeth in wickedness 1 Iohn 5. 19. 2. To Idols in regard of the false perswasion of degenerate man 1 Cor. 8. 4 5. There are Gods many and Lords many that is in their concelts who were Heathen They worshipped stocks and stones any thing yea almost all things though an Idol be nothing in the judgement of a Christian It is nothing saith the Apostle i. e. formally the thing signified is nothing yet materially it is something as made of wood or brass or the like 3. To Magistrates Exod. 4. 16. who have their Commission from God Rom. 13. who do the work of God 2 Cor. 13. Rom. 3. 4. who ought to do all for God 2 Chron. 19. 6. And all of you are children of the most High It was no wonder that they were called Gods for here they are the children of the most High Now children are called after their Fathers Name This term Son of God or child of the most High is attributed 1. To Christ because of his Eternal Generation Psal. 2. 7. He is the only begotten of the Father Iohn 3. 16. 2. To Angels both Because of their practice they serve God not as slaves a Master but as children a Father chearfully heartily with fisial alacrity and delight And because of their priviledge God useth them not as slaves but sons They are near him alwayes beholding the face of their Father Matth. 18. 10. 3. To men and that in regard of the purity and holiness in them they resemble God as a child his Father or in regard of the grace and favour God bestoweth on them in these respects all believers are the children of God Or in regard of their power and greatness they are priviledged to be higher then others in place as sons are before and above servants And they are like him in their Dignity and Authority so Magistrates The Chaldee paraphraseth As the Angels of the high God because Magistrates should be like Angels for wisdom 2 Sam. 14. 24. The words being thus opened will yeeld us this Doctrine Doctrine That the God of Heaven hath appointed Magistrates to be Gods on earth He is

to God surely your conversations should be according to the Gospel The several Titles given to you call for sanctity and strictness from you The spirit of God calleth you Kings 1 Sam. 8. 9. and Princes Iosh. 8. 33. Now is it seemly or sutable to see Kings or Princes padling in the mire or playing in the dirt with every beggars brat Doth not every one expect that their Linen should be in print their cloaths clean without the least spot of dirt And is it comely or consonant to see Magistrates honoured with a commission from heaven wallowing in the mire of sin and pollution with every heir of hell Do not all expect that as your places are god-like and honourable so your practice should be godly and answerable that your linen should be white your garments undefiled and your persons higher then others not only in place but piety When King Porus was taken prisoner and demanded by the Conquerour how he would be used he answered Like a King and being three times asked the same question he as often returned the same answer And if you ask me how you should demean your selves I would answer Like Kings Every one resembling the behaviour of a King Prov. 31 3 4. It is not for Kings O Lemuel it is not for Kings to drink wine nor Princes strong drink least they drink and forget the Law Give not thy strength unto women nor thy wayes to that which destroyeth Kings Drunkenness and Uncleanness are sinfull and unwarrantable in Subjects but they are most sordid and a bominable in a Soveraign They are so much worsethen others by how much they ought to be better then others A disease that surprizeth the head or heart is more dangerous then those that infect the exteriour members A spot in silk is far worse then one in sackcloth A Flie in a barrel of pitch doth not the harm which it doth in a box of Ointments When Scipio was offered an Harlot he said Vellem si non essem Imperator I would if I were not a General an Emperour Should such a man as I flie said Nehemiah So should a Ruler consider Should such a man as I be unclean I that punish such sin in others should I commit it my self Should such a man as I swear be lascivious in my language or unsavoury in my speeches A divine sentence is in the mouth of a King Prov. 16. 10. I whose words are Laws and Oracles should speak as the Oracles of God 1 Pet. 4. 11. Should such a man as I prophane the Sabboth associate with sinners be prayerless in my family or venture upon any iniquity It is an abomination for Kings to commit wickedness Prov. 16. 12. Peter Martyr told Queen Elizabeth that Princes were doubly bound to God as Men and as Princes or chief men Their sins are sins against more obligations and therefore are sins of more aggravations then others A great man cannot commit a small sin yet a great man is seldom a good man Godliness in a Ruler is like a Diamond in a golden Ring which shines radiantly but there are few Jewels so set Among all the Kings of Israel not one godly man Among the Kings of Iudah very few Men in high places are apt to have their heads giddy and thereby are in great danger of falling Of one only Roman Emperour Titus it is said that he was the better for his honour most are worse The Spirit of God calleth you the children of God And all of you are children of the most High Now how exactly how circumspectly should the children of God walk Much obedience may be expected from servants but more from sons their preheminence is more and therefore their obedience should be more The fathers of the ●lesh look for much dutifulness from their children but surely the Father of Spirits may look for more from his children Phil. 2. 15. That ye may be blameless and harmless the sons of God without reb●ke in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation among whom ye shine as lights in the world Ye that are Gods sons are appointed to blame others that do evill and therefore it behoveth you to be blameless your selves Qui alterum accusat probri c. but blameless and harmless the sons of God without rebuke The sons of great men should be without riotousness or rebellion but the sons of God should be without suspition or rebuke that is walk so strictly as that they should do nothing blame-worthy If God be your Father where is his honour Mal. 1. 6. Do you honour him in your hearts by giving him your superlative love and fear and trust and esteem Do you honour him in your houses by causing all within your charges to worship him according to his Word Are your houses houses of holiness praying reading singing catechising houses are they examples of Religion to your neighbours Is holiness to the Lord written upon your selves your children your servants your estates and upon all that belong to you Do you honour God in your lives by walking as he walked Are ye followers of him as dear children Ephes. 5. 1. Do you resemble him as children their Father Are you holy as he was holy in all manner of conversation Was your everlasting Father when he walked in your flesh upon earth ever guilty of c●rsing or swearing or lying Did any rotten communication ever drivel out of his lips Was he ever guilty of oppressing the poor or despising the needy of seeking himself or of doing his own will Did he ever neglect praying and instructing his Family of the Apostles or supplication by himself Was not he at prayer early in the morning a great while before day and was not he up at it all night Was it not his meat and drink to do the will of his Father and to finish his work Did not he go about doing good glorifying God upon Earth and doing what was well pleasing in his sight Surely ye that are the sons of God by 〈◊〉 and office should resemble the Son of God by nature O Sirs Think of it ye that are the sons of God by deputation should resemble this Son of God by generation Be not as Eli's and Samuel's and Davids children a disgrace to your Father But as Constantines sons resembled their Father in his good parts and practices so be ye perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect Mat. 5. ult Davids daughters were known to be his children by their garments 2 Sam. 13. 18. Do you make it known to others that you are the children of God by not defiling your garments by keeping your selves unspotted from the world by looking to your cloath●s that they be not defiled though ye walk in dirty streets be as the children of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation Consider the Devil is ever watching for your halting and like some unkind servant he blabs presently to the Father what

a good conscience The Power is his whatever they persons be the office is his however they came by it and so calls for our respect and observance Even Tyrants are ordained of ●od for the punishment of an ungratefull and rebellious people when men grow weary of Christs easie yoke t is just with God to put the Iron yoke of Tyrants on them Deut. 28 47 48. Hence he 's said not only to give Kings in mercy to be nursing Fathers but also Kings in wrath to be scourges to a wicked people Hose● 13. 11. He sent wicked Saul as well as religious D●vid and he is called the Lords anointed 1 Sam 24. 7 and so is Cyrus a Heathen Esa. 45. 15. Nebucadnezar is called Gods servant Ier. 27. 6. Dan. 2. 37. and the King of Assyria is called Gods rod to chastise his people for the sins Isa. 10 5. As the wickedness of a Minister doth not destroy the Ministry so the wickedness of a Magistrate doth not destroy Magistracy Cruel Parents are parents still hence it is that in the New Testament we are so oft commanded to be subject to Heathen Magistrates to pray for them to pay to them and to yield them either active or passive obedience Mat. 22. 21. Rom. 13. 1. 1 Tim. 2. 2. Titus 3. 1. 1 Pet 2. 13 17. and if Tyrants were not ordained by God we must exclude his providence from the greatest part of the world But the Psalmist tells us that the Kingdom of his providence and power reacheth over all Psal. 33. 19. the Lord hath prepared his throne and his Kingdom ruleth over all All creatures are his servants even the Devils in Hell do Gods will though against their own and so do Tyrants and wicked men they oft break the will of Gods command and yet they fulfill the will of his Decree They serve his purpose and providence Materially when formally and intentionally they seek and serve their own Acts 4. 27 28. We are apt to complain of Covernours but who complains of his sins which provoke the Lord to set up such Governours over us Iudges 3. 8. 4. 2. Iob 34. 30. Psal. 107. 40. Prov. 28. 2 Eccles 3. 16. Esa. 10. 5 6. Ezek. 7. 11. Hosea 5. 7 13. 11. Let us therefore repent of them and Judge our selves then will God make Medicines of these Poysons and either turn or overturn such as molest his people As in nature so in Government nothing is permanent that is violent so that it is hard to see and Old Tyrant although for a time they may uphold their state by force and fraud yet in the end divine justice confounds their practises and infatuates their counsels to their own ruine Though they be great yet there is a greater then they who will break them with a rod of Iron and dash them in pieces like a Potters Vessel Psal. 2. 9. easily suddenly irrecoverably Though men cannot or dare not punish them yet God will if King Zacha●iah be wicked and draw Israel to sin God will soon cut him off so that he shall Reign but six moneths 2 Kings 15. 6. and Shallum that killed him following his Idolatry reigned but one moneth after him verse 13. and Pekahiah his Son continuing that Idolatry reigned but two years ver 23. The persecuting Roman Emperours were sixty three yet only six of them died a natural death Usually God cuts off Tyrants suddenly and raiseth up Pious and Peaceable Rulers in their stead after a wicked Ahaz comes a good Hezekiah after Idolatrous Am●n a zealous Iosiah After harsh King Henry comes mild King Edward and after furious Queen Mary peaceable Queen Elizabeth Thus after a storm usually comes a calm and after a sharp Winter a pleasant Summer 2. As for Taxes though they be great and grievous yet the best remedy is Prayer and Patience Things that cannot be remedied with Patience must be endured In 1 Sam. 8. 11 the Lord tells them what will be practice of their King not as approving or allowing of what he should do for t is the threatning of a judgement not the Imposition of a duty q. d. This people shall dearly rue the casting off that form of Government which I had given them Yet under all their pressures there must be no rising but only in prayer They shall cry unto the Lord and acknowledge their sin which is the meritorious cause of all their sufferings yet t is the wisdom of Governours to fleece and not to flay the flock for fear of Insurrection T was good counsel which King Henry the fourth upon his death-bed gave to his Son He admonisht him to be moderate in his Taxes for so long as English men saith he have money and riches so long shall you have obeysance from them but when they be poor and in want they be alwayes ready to make Insurrections at every turn Objection Magistrates are not only cruel but careless they neglect their duty and therefore I may well omit may pay Answer Yet this cannot excuse thee from doing thy duty another mans sin will not excuse mine Recrimination is no Purgation 2. If they are bad yet better have a bad one then none at all t is better living under a Nero then a Nerva where nothing is lawfull then where all things are lawfull Tyranny is better then Anarchy the one keeps things in some order when Anarchy puts all into confusion and makes every mans lust his Law and set up as many Tyrants as there are slaves to sin Government is de jure natura no Nation so barbarous no time so dark but some footsteps of Government might have been seen The very Bees by the instinct of nature have their King whom they acknowledge and follow and the Cranes have a Leader Though the Nature of man being proud loves not the Superiority of others and being licentious loves not to be straitned by others yet it teacheth subordination and chuseth Tyranny rather then Anarchy The most unruly know not how to subsist without a Ruler even Theeves have a Leader amongst them yea and those Monsters of Munster that at first decryed Magistracy yet when they were once got into the Saddle they quickly set up such a one as he was a Taylor King of their own Yea in Hell amongst the Devils there is a Government there is a Belzebub a Prince of Devils Mat. 12. 24. the Devils who are the Authors of all disorder amongst others yet have an order amongst themselves T is ill with that state where men are left like the Fishes of the Sea which have no Ruler but the greater devour the less Hab 1. 14. Where all will rule there is no rule and where there is none to rule there is all manner of misrule as Idolatry Murder Plunder Thefts Rapes Riots and all uncleanness Iudges 17. 4 5. 6. 18. 30 19. 1 2. So that t is a very bad

Tabernacles Job 15. 34. 5. Righteously and exactly A Magistrate must not only be Iustus but he must do Iusta yea and he must do them Iustè He must hear both parties speak and then judge righteously between them They must not wrest nor wrack the Law to make it speak what it never meant but with just judgement must they judge the people L●v. 19. 15. Z●ch 8. 16. He must dispense justice carefully constantly and conscientiously Justice Justice he must do i. e. pure justice Deut. 16. 20. not seeming but real justice not Justice in part but entire Justice in measure and degree without passion corruption or delay He must not do an act or two of justice but it must be his constant work t is his cloathing which he must put on every day His head and heart and hands must be covered with it Iob 28. 14. Rulers must not free Ravens and censure Doves nor loose Barrabas and bind Christ. This is not execution of justice but persecuting of the just They must proportion the punishment according to the offence and not barely shave the Head which for its enormities ought be 〈◊〉 off There must be an Accurate Arithmetical and Geometrical proportion observed i. e. the fact with all its circumstances must be considered and there must be a Retaliation rendred accordingly Great sins must have great punishment and lesser sins lesser punishment Life must for Life and Eye for Eye Gen. 9. 6. Exod. 21. 24. 6. Soberly He must be a Temperate man else how will he govern others that cannot govern himself or reform others who is unreformed himself What the Apostle saith of Ministers is true of Magistrates if a man cannot rule himself and his own house how shall he govern the house of God 1 Tim. 3. 5. He is not like to help another who hath lost himself Wine and Strong drink make men forget the Law and pervert judgement T is not for Princes to be eating in the morning when they should be judging the people Eccles. 10. 16 17. Ier. 21. 12. Judges must be wise and prudent but when Temperance is gone where is the Prudence He that is luxurious and riotous is not wise saith the wisest of men Prov. 20. 1. and therefore Scl●n made a Law that whatever Ruler was found drunk should be put to death 7. Diligently T is Gods work and he is cursed that doth it negligently Justice must diffuse it self it must run down as a mighty stream fully freely commonly and universally A●os 5. 24. Rivers run by the Poor mans door as well as the rich It must be their delight to do judgement Prov. 21. 15. Rulers were not made for pleasure but for labour They were not born for themselves but for the peoples good hence those Titles of Nursing Fathers Shepherds Stewards c. all which imply a great deal of care and pains Observation 3. Good duties need much pressing Such is the dulness and indisposition of our natures to the best things that without much pressing they take little or no Impression upon us hence t is that the Lord here calls on Judges again and again to defend the poor and fatherless and to deliver the needy out of trouble So Rev. 2. 3. Christ calls again and again to hose that have ears to hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches We ●ust have line upon line and precep● upon precept and all little enough to make the word effectuall ●is not sufficient to say I know this and that but you must love to hear it prest upon you again and again for your more sp●ritual improvement of it He that loves the truth in truth the more he hears it the more he loves it still T is but an Adulterous love to Virgin truth to be weary of her when you are best acquainted with her and to cast her off with contempt as Amnon did Tamar when you have had your fill of her Observation 4. Magistrates must administer justice orderly They must not go preposterously to work and condemn a man before he is heard But 1. They must fully freely patiently with a sedate quiet composed spirit free from Passion prejudice and precipitancy hear both parties speak for themselves for the Law doth not use to condemn men till their cause be heard Iohn 7. 51. Acts 25. 15 16. 2. When upon hearing he hath found out the depth and truth of the cause then he must justisie and absolve the innocent and rescue him out of the jaws of the wicked by executing Justice on him according to his demerits Observation 5. God is very tender over his poor afflicted people This makes him here once and again to charge his Vicegerents to have a special care over them None must touch them to hurt them or if they do the Magistrate must rescue them and if they will not yet God himself will Psal. 12. 5. he takes the wrongs that are done to them as done to himself Prov. 14. 31. 17. 5. he that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his maker and contemns the wise dispensation of God who will have poor intermingled with the rich as the Vallyes are amongst the Hills for his own praise God would have no man opprest be he never so rich but specially he hates the oppres●ing of the poor because low and weak and cannot help themselves as rich men can The more unable they are to help themselves the sooner will God arise to help them though they be weak yet their Red●emer is strong Prov. 23. 10 11. Though they be little yet their Protector is mighty you may be able to contend with the Poor but can you contend with the Allmighty who is their Guardian No wise man will contend with a mightier then himself nor oppress the Servants and Sons of a Prince that can easily suppress and crush him The poor and fatherless when believers are the Sons and Servants of God and they cannot escape that wrong them he hath more then once proclaimed himself their Patron and Protector Psal. 10. 14. 68. 5. Hosea 14. 3. Deut. 10. 17 18. and hath denounced woes against those that hurt them Isa. 10. 1 2 3. Mal. 3. 5. and punisht Ierusalem amongst other sins for this Ez●k 22. 7. Many think they may abuse the poor because they are impotent and cannot help themselves but see how Solomon counsels these men most excellently Prov. 22. 22 23. Rob not the poor because he is poor neither oppress the afflicted in the gate for the Lord will plead their cause and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them q. d. let not his poverty and inability to with-stand thee encourage thee to abuse him yea though thou be one of the Magistra●es a man of power that sittest in the gate yet know that there is a greater then thou who will help the helpless will plead their cause and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them i. e. he will take

a dirty pickle his children are in Suppose he seeth the dirt of drunkenness of uncleanness of squeezing tenants of prophaning the Sabboth of scoffing at godliness of irreligion and atheism in your houses and immediately carryes your cloaths to God as the Patriarchs did Ioseths coat For he accuseth men before God day and night Revel 12. 10. Saying Lord is this thy sons coat Know now whether it be thy sons coat or no. Gen. 37. 32. Do thy children use to carry themselves as my children Surely these are of their father the Devil Can you imagine that God should own you No certainly as the Pope disowned the Bishop when the Emperour had sent the Buffe-coat in which he was taken prisoner and deliver●d him up to justice he will not dishonour himself by owning you Nay how can you expect but that Jesus Christ who sitteth by and heareth the indictment against you who useth to appear as an Advocate for others when the Accuser of the Brethren pleadeth against them should even second the Bill against you and say to God as Moses Deut. 32. 5. They have corrupted themselves their spot is not the spot of Gods children they are perverse and crooked persons Father these are sins not of weakness but wickedness they are not infirmities but enormities they are not the spots of thy children Those that cast thee out of their hearts and let the flesh have the Supremacy there that cast thee out of their houses and let the world have the Superiority there Those that make no conscience of thy day and their duties whose whole care is to be honoured and enriched whose heat and fervour is for credit and profit and put thee off with a few fragments of time and a few scraps of their estate which they can spare from the world and flesh those sin like wretches like rebels not like Saints like sons Their spots are not the spots of thy children There are spots which may be and spots which cannot be the spots of Gods children All sins are unsutable to but some sins are inconsistent with sonship yea the preheminence of Adoption doth absolutely deny the predominancy of any corruption When Antigonus was to go to a place that might probably prove a temptation to sin he asked counsel of Menedemus what he should do He bade him only remember he was a Kings son So say I to you that walk every day in the midst of many snares of temptations and therefore should have the greater care and circumspection Remember that ye are the sons of rhe King of Kings and do nothing unworthy of the name by which he calleth you or the place to which he hath called you It might have been a cutting word to the heart of Brutus whose hand was then stabbing Caesar What thou my son Brutus I could not have expected better from a slave but little looked for this from a son How think you can the Lord take it that you who are his children should wound the Body of his Son with oaths and curses his sacred laws by wickedness and wilful disobedience I beseech you be exceeding holy that ye may shew your selves to be children of the most High In this the children of God are manifest and the children of the Devil He that doth not righteonsness is not of God I Iohn 3. 10. If ye therefore call on the Father who without respect of persons will judge every man according to his works pass the time of your sojurning here in fear 1 Pet. 1. 17. forasmuch as ye know ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver or gold from your vain conversations received by tradition from your fathers but with the precious blood of Christ as of a Lamb without spot and blemish vers 18 19. It is written of Boleslaus one of the Kings of Poland that he still carryed about with him the picture of his Father and when he was to do any great work he would look on the picture and pray that he might do nothing unworthy of such a Fathers name So when you set about any busines desire and labour that you may do nothing while on earth unworthy your Father who is in heaven Nay further the Holy Ghost calleth you Gods How godly then should you be how unsutable are the works of the Devil to them that have the name of God! God is light and in him is no darkness at all and should not the Gods shine brightly with the light of holiness and abhor all deeds of darkness The Gods of the Heathen were taxed with several crimes Iupiter with uncleanness Iuno with passion c. Hence saith Austin the Heathen took liberty to sin because their Gods were represented to them as patterns or approvers of such actions As Charaea in Terence Non ego facerem quae Jupiter fecit Should I be backward to what the God himself was forward But the God of Heaven is far from such things He is the holy One of Israel holy in all his wayes and righteous in all his works His Nature is the pattern of holiness his Law is the rule of holiness Holiness is his Essence his glory himself Psal. 89. 13. A God of truth without jniquity just and right is he Deut. 32. 4. There are many spots in our Moons but not the least spot in this Sun of Righteousness Now therefore you that have his Name should get his Nature and be pure as he is pure The Name of God is an honour to yon O be not you a dishonour to it Iames 2. 8. Do not O do not blaspheme that worthy name by which ye are called How holy should you be in your hearts how watchful over your words how wary in your works how faithful in your families how conscientious in all companies for the most High hath said Ye are Gods Alexander having a souldier of his name that was a coward bid him either learn to be valiant or be no more called Alexander So say I to you that have the Livery and Name of God and do the drudgery of Satan either learn to be holy to be good or be no more called Gods Sir observe it is it comely for a God to swear for a God to wrong his neighbours for a God to prophane Gods day for a God to despise godliness and godly men for a God to keep company with those that are of their father the Devil for a God to live without God in his affections house and conversation Blush O guilty Justice or Ruler and be ashamed and either amend thy life and nature or disown this name of God I have sometime read of Luther that he used to repel the darts of temptations with this shield I am a Christian. I cannot do it O would you but think when your hearts or lives are swerving from God I am called a God and cannot may not do the work of the Devil I may not do any thing unworthy the name of God it might be helpful to