Chap. 3 S. an Expofition upon the Bookof JO E. Yeti: q. 61 their powe-,for (beddingblood yea many delire to get power into their hand, that theymay avenge themfelves by their own hand, and b'e ready to hurt whom and where they do not love. 'Tisnot fo much ambition which provokes force men to affect Para:;eves ad power and greatnefs, as malice and a defire of having their ends nocendunt upon whomfoever (lands in their way. Thefe like the great Fifties of the Sea, delight to fwallow up and feedupon the Icier ; or like the great and firong Beafts of the Forreft, they tare and de- voure the Lambsor Sheepof the pallure. They ufe ( that is, in deed abufe ) their power, not fo much for theirown good , as in wronging their neighbours, whole hurt they fhould never Peek, andwhofe good theyought to leekand promote next their own. Power should beufed and put forth, for help, not hurt, for pro- teEtion,not ruine ; and therefore Magifirates, who are the chief mighty men of the earth, who are called Powers, (Tit. 3. t. ) are alto, called the Sheilds ofthe earth ; implying, they are to ufe their power for the. defence (a Sheeld is for defence) of the eppreffed,not to opprefs."The Scripturecalls Magifirates Sheilds, but it never calls the Magiflrare a Sword: It faith indeed the Magifirate bath a foord,and that he bearethnot the fword in vaine, ( "Rom. 13. 4. ) that is, he dot-h not bear it fo as to bear with evil doers, and never draw ir,nor ufe it. But the Scripture dóth not fay, the Magifirate is a Sword,as it faith, he is a Shield ; here- by intimating,that the Powerof the Magifirate thould rather be exercifed in proteaing than inpunishing, rather in laving than destroying. What the Apof{le faith concerning the deigne or purpofe of his mini(terial office, We have this power to edificari- on, and not to deffru&íion, (aCor. 13. i o.) is true ofall power ;. the primary defigne of it is for prore&ion, rather than for de- flru&ion, and not at all for oppreffion or vexation. Magiftrates have Swords, but they are Shields not Swords; they have a Swo:d to cut off evil doers, and by that the good are preferved and de- fended. Such mighty ones, who delight to be Swords, but care not to be Shields, who are all for cutting and deflroying,not at all for faving,.relieving, and prore&ing, Ouchmighty ones, I fay ) caufed the opprefled to cry, yea to`cry out in fobs time ; and in what times foever they are, they make the oppreffed cry our. And the matter, . that Elihu fuppofed fob was offended ar, was, that God did not hear the cry of theft oppreffed ones , nor ap- pear:
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