Baxter - BV4253 B39 C78 1658

By the cropof Chrifia° univerfe, then I acknowledge any naturall Being which is not efficiently fromGod as the author of nature and the hrft Being. I lookat a Magiftrate as ultimately for God,as a man authorized todohis work, and none but what is ultimately his. So that as his office. is fohumane as to be alfo participatively Divine, and he is fo an humane creature, as tobe by participation Divine, fo the Reverence and Obedience which I owe to a Magiftrate, is by participation Divine : And therefore though I judge not perem- ptorily that thofe Antients were in the right that made the fifth Commandment to be the lait of the firft Table yet I doubt not but our Moderns are lefs likely tobe in theright , that confine it only tothe fecond Table. And as I think it ftandeth fo between the twoas in feveral refpeâs tobelong to each , fo I rather think that it more principally belongeth to the firft. You fee then the difference between a true Chriftians honouring of Magiftrates and yours : You honour them but for your worldly Ends ; and becaufe they are able todoyou good or hurt. But we honour them as Gods officers, fpeaking and ading for him and from him by his Commifsion, andwe obey theirPower, as participatively Divine : but as they can do tse good or hurt we lefs regard them r And this honour and obedience-we owe them, not for their wealth, but their Authority : and if the meaneft man have this Authority, he (hall be honouredand obeyed by us, as well as the richeft. 4. i f the world be Crucified toyou , How comes it topals that you are fo tenderly fenfible of every lofs or difhonour that dotti befall you ? If you are wronged in your eftate, what a matter do you make of it ? If a man fbould deprive you but of a fewpounds, you can hardly put it up ; but youmuff go toLaw for it, or you mutt feek revenge ? Or if you pats it by, you think you have done fomegreat meritorious a& If one Bander you, or difhonour you, how fenfible are youof it ? How it flicks up- on your ftomacks, as if you had loft your treafure ? Death is not fenfible. If youwere Dead to the world, and the world to you, thefe things would all feem fmaller in your eyes and you would have more ado to remember them then now you have to forget them. Youcould notbe fo fenfible of a lofs oran injury, if you were not too much alive to the world. And if you be Poor, what an impatient complaining life do you live ? as if you wanted

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