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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

12. Thou shalt inherit all Nat●o●s Observation All Nations are the Lord Inheritance or Th● Lord is the sole poss●ssor of all the world Deut. 10. 14. Iob 1. 11. Psal. 24. 1 2. the earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof he alone is the true Proprietary of it This is his universal Kingdom by right of Creation and Preservation God hath a special interest in all people The rich and the poor meet together and the Lord is the ma●er and great Protector of both Iob 34. 19. Prov. 22. 2. 1. Let us then adore and reverence the Transcendent Majesty of the great God if a man be King of one Kingdom we stand in awe of him and reverence him as some great man and shall not we reverence the great God who is the King of the Kingdoms of the world whom will we fear if we do not fear him 2. Let great ones remember from whom they have their power riches Kingdoms greatness even from this great Possessor of heaven and earth Let them improve their power to his pra●se else he that raised them can ruine them and he that gives them Kingdoms can take them away Iob 12. 17 18. 34. 24. Dan. 2. 21. Let them not abuse the●r power in oppressing the poor since as good hands have made the one as the other All Nations are Gods Inheritance and the poor are a part of it as well as ●he rich Let them assure th●mselves that God will not suffer wrongs that are done to them to pass unpunisht because such as wrong them wrong a part of his Inheritance 3. It may comfort such as are banisht from their habitations for the Testimony of Christ and the profession of his truth you cannot want though you have lost all ior the earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof He is the possessor of all the world he hath so rich a Mine can never want Psal. 23. 1. The Lions natural and the Lions Metaphorical may want but such as fear the Lord shall lack nothing that may be for their good Psal. 34. 9 10. Such meek ones shall inherit the earth Mat. 5. 5. In Christ their head all is theirs the world is theirs and all that is in it was made more especially for their service 1 Cor. 3. 21 22. FINIS Men are Gods OR THE DIGNITY of MAGISTRACY and the DUTY of the MAGISTRATE As it was presented in a Sermon At the Assize holden at Hertford for that County on August 2. 1653. By George Swinnocke M. A. and Preacher of the Gospel at Rickmersworth in Hertfordshire Exod. 22. 28. Thou shalt not revile the Gods nor curse the Ruler of thy people Rom. 13. 1. Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers for there is no power but of God The powers that be are ordained of God LONDON Printed by R. W. for Nevil Simmons Bookseller in Kederminster 1660. Ornatissimis nec non pientissimis Viris EDVARDO IRONSIDE ET JOHANNI HUMPHRYS ARMIGERIS Hanc suam qualem qualem concionem Apud judices olim habitam jam paulo correctiorem multo auctiorem in lucem editam In perpetuum grati animi monumentum D. D. D. Georgius Swinnocke To his Reverend Friend Mr. Thomas Hall B. D. Pastor of Kings-Norton in Worcestershire Esteemed Sir I Have now at last in answer to your desires and in pursuance of my promise sent you my Meditations on the 6 th verse of the 82. Psalm Indeed soon after the Sermon was preached I was sought to that it might be printed But I was then scarce flegd not having in years equald the dayes of th● shortest month and so unwilling to ventur● a flight into the world lest I should fall And truly my Apology still must be with the good Father when the fruits of his youth were stoln to the Press Infans eram nec dum scribere noveram Nunc ut nihil aliud profecerim saltem Socraticum illud habeo Scio quod nes●io Such as it is I commend it to you and the more chearfully because its younger brother which two or three years since supplanted it and got away the birthright did meet with a blessing The good Lord make it instrumental in these unhappy and unholy dayes wherein Moses and Aaron Magistracy and Ministry are trampled under foot for the glory of his Name and the good of his people So prayeth he who never saw you yet loveth and honoureth you and desireth to be frequently and fervently remembred by you at the throne of grace George Swinnocke TO THE READER IN my Exposition of the 82. Psalm when I came to the 7 th Verse I perused a Sermon of my Brother Swinnocks which he preached before the Iudges on that Verse I found it so full and satisfactory that I must freely confess I received more Light from that single Sermon then from all the Commentators which I had by me Whereupon perceiving by his Epistle Dedicatory that he had preacht an Assise Sermon on Verse the sixth which lay by him Unprinted I requested him to publish it with my Commentary on this Psalm and thou hast it here annexed to it The Author and his Labours are above my praise If thou please to accept of these our fraternal first-fruits if the Lord bless us with life and health together thou mayest expect ere long from us a Commentary on Psalm 73. a Psalm very seasonable for us in these times who are exercised with such variety of Providences It were to be wisht that the Ministers of the Gospel would joyn their strength in the promoting the truth Iesuites can do so to destroy it why should not we in defending it That it may be so is the desire and shall be the endeavour of Thine in the Lord Thomas Hall Errata PAge 232. line 19. for to render evil for good is God-like read to render good for evil is God-like p. 238. l. 9. for are the sons of God by nature and office r. are the sons of God by name and office This sheet must be placed by the Book-binder after page 188. THE Dignity of MAGISTRACY AND THE Duty of the MAGISTRATE PSALM 82. 6 7. I have said ye are Gods and all of you are Children of the Most High But ye shall die like men and fall like one of the Princes THE Book of Psalms may not unfitly be called The Analogy of Faith the Directory for Practice the Epitome of Scripture the Plat-form for Prayer It is abbreviated in two words Hosanna Allelujah Prayer and Praise being the sum and Substance of the whole Book It is a throng of holy affections saith one each passion acting a part wound up to the highest strain by the Spirit of God breathing Poetical eloquence into the heavenly Prophet This 82. Psalm containeth a reprehension of Princes for their oppression of the people and it is propounded partly by way of Objurgation partly by way of Affirmation The Text presenteth us with a Concession of the Magistrates

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

Surface but the very foundation of the earth by which Metaphorically is meant the due administration of Justice in punishing the wicked and defending the good These be the Pillars that uphold the world and upon these Common-wealths are chiefly founded 3. Here is the extent of this confusion not some but all the foundations of the earth are out of course Those that should be the Pillars of the earth they are rotten Posts that deceive the building and let all run to ruine Observation 1. All reprehensions and admonitions that are bestowed on wilfully blind and obstinate sinners are lost and in vain as to the parties reproved though our labour be not vain in the Lord Isa. 49. 4. 2. Cor. 2. 15. we do but wash a Black-more or wash a Tile the more rain is poured on it the blacker it grows When men are set given up and wedded to their sins it is time to let them alone Hos. 4. 14 17. This made the Lord here leave off-complaing to these Judges and to turn his complaint to himself and to his people They know not they will not understand God will not honour them now so far as to reprove them Thus did the Prophets when men were obstinate past Counsel and Instruction they turned to the earth and called upon the inanimate creatures to hear Isa. 1. 2. Hear O Heavens and give ear O earth So Micah 6. 2. Hear O Mountains the Lords controversie So Deut. 4. 26. 32. 1. Ier. 6. 19 22. 29. That Preacher thinks his people very bad indeed who directs his speech to the seats they sit on and the Pillars they lean too q. d. Hear O ye Seats and hearken O ye Pillars what the Lord hath done for an Ungratefull and Rebellious people These are scorners that do but jeer at such as call on them to live Soberly Righteously and Religiously Solomon bids not reprove such lest they hate us Prov. 9. 8. These are Dogs that fly in the face of such as go about to stop them in their sinful practices Mat. 7. 6. Question But is not this a sufficient excuse to make us cease from reproving sinners Answer No for the Holy Ghost before in this Psalm though he knew those he spake to were incorrigible and incurable yet reproves them first and admonisheth them to do their duty verse 2. 3. 4. for though such wicked men be not amended yet we have discharged our duty and they will be left without excuse in the day of the Lord when they shall see and say they had a Prophet amongst them to warn them Ezek. 2. 9. 2. We must be very cautious that we do not presently cast off every wicked man as a Dog that frets at reproof for a good Asa may do so 2 Chron. 16. 9 10. The Lord himself is patient and bears long and loth he is to cast off his people Hos. 6. 4. Now when the Lord bears we may well bear but he bears with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath who are fitted to destruction Rom. 9. 22. Observation 2. Ignorance is the Mother of mischief These Judges judge Unjustly respect persons neglect their duties oppress the poor c. but what was the cause of all this he tells you They know not neither will they under stand This in Scripture is oft set forth as the Root of all sin Hosea 4. 1 2. there is no mercy no truth nothing but killing lying stealing and outrage and why so why there is no knowledge of God in the Land So Isa. 1. 3 4. 1 Pet. 1. 14. Revel 3. 17. one great cause of the Church of Laodiceas misery was this that she knew not her misery Ignorance and working uncleaness with greediness are joined together Ephes. 4. 18 19. This made the Jews to crucifie Christ Acts 3. 17. I wot Brethren that through Ignorance ye did it and Pa●l to blaspheme and persecute Gods people 1 Tim. 1. 13. I did it ignorantly When the Gentiles knew not God then they served Idols Gal. 4. 8. Why is not God loved feared obeyed why because he is not known for as incognitum non amatur so non timetur Children that know not the strength and terror of a Lyon fear him not This made the Saduces to err Mat. 22. 29. Ye err not knowing the Scriptures All sins and errors are Radically Seminally and Fundamentally in Ignorance When the Apostle had said There 's none that understands see what a black Guard of sins do follow Rom. 1. 28. to 32. 3. 11. to 19. when the eyes of the Jews were blinded then all wickedness like a stood broke in upon them and there abides even to this day Rom. 11. 8. Ignorance is evil in any but specially in such as are designed for publike service A Magistrate that is ignorant of the Law and a Minister of the Gospel are two sore judgements the one destroys many a soul and the other mars many a good cause A Prince that wanteth understanding is a great Oppressor saith Solomon Prov. 28. 16. It s a great misery to a Nation when the Rulers are children in understanding Eccles. 10. 16. Isa. 3. 4. Magistrates had need of abundance of Wisdom and Prudence Sinners are subtile to contrive wickedness and Magistrates had need of Serpentine Wisdom to search it out For as Truth so wickedness lyeth in profundo it s buried deep Isa. 29. 15. T is not for Kings say flatterers to Read Pray Study they must Hawk and Hunt and Game and take their pleasure as if God had made them for no other end in the world but as he hath done the Leviathan in the Sea to take his pleasure therein Psal. 104. 26. No God commands Kings to Write Read and Study his Law Deut. 17. 18 19. It must be their Vade mecum their constant companion which they must study as well as the Laws of the Land T is necessary that Rulers should see with their own eyes that they be not seduced by flatterers and Parasites We read how Moses the chief Magistrate was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians before he was called to Government Tongues Arts Sciences Philosophy History Law Divinity are all requisite to make a compleat Magistrate They must not only be Honest men but Able men Exod. 18. 21. men of Parts Gifts and Understanding Deut. 1. 13. Men as we say cut out for the work for as every one that is Godly is not fit to teach others so every one that hath Grace is not fit to Rule others They must be men dextrous in the Law else how shall they direct others according to Law When Rulers are children in gifts though men in years and babes for Understanding being weak as women then follows oppression and confusion Isa. 3. 4 5 12. As no wise man will go to an unskilfull Physitian for Physick nor venture himself in that Ship that hath an unskilfull Pilot So no man that is well in his