86 'Chap. 2'. An E.rpefition upon the Book of J o B. Verf. g. Magittratesare calledGods ; And God who bath honoured them by putting his name upon them, expects that they (hould honour hire, by imitating or atting like unto him. What a Magifiratedoth, he fhould do like God, he (hould doe it fo that every one may be conwinced thatòod is in bins and with hire ofa truth. As God takes care of the widow, and ofthe father- fife, fo fhouid he. God is knowne by this Title ; A father of thefatherleffe, anda lodge ofthe widow, 'it rod iri his holy habi- tation (Pfal. 68. 5. ) That is, in Heaven ; for that's thehabi. ration of his holmeffe, and of his glory , there he d sells, ndginrv, for the widow, and thefatherleffe ; And as that is the fpe- .ctall hufineffe (as it were) of God in Heaven,io they who are Gods on earth , ought to make it their fpeciall bufìneffe to jud e for the widow and th fatherleffe. Hence we finde the widow and the fatherleffe commended by name to the care of the M tgifirate ; The fatherleffe have no natural! parents liv- ing, or none neereofkinne remaining to maintain and defend them, therefore the Mag:ftrate, who is (parer patrie) the common father ofhis Country, (hould be their FofterFather, Theywho want power are the Charge,and (hould be the fpeciat care of thofe in power. Thus they are commanded(pfa. 8z. 3, 4.) Defend thepore andfatherleffe, doejuflice to the afflifíed and nerdy, deliver thepore andmedy : rid themout of the hand ofthe wicked. Here's their worke, and the neglect of this worke ( how bufie foever Magiftrates are about other worke) is often com- plained of aloud in Scripture, as a crying finne, as a finne that ruines Nations, and drawerdown publicke Judgements upon a people. ( Ifaiah i. i 7.) Carfe to doe evill, learnt to doe well, feeke lodgement, relieve theoppreffed, hedge the father/ ffe, p ead for thewidow : Andat the 23 verve ; Theyjudge not the father - leffe,neither doth the Caufe of the tridowcome unto them. Againe (7sr. 5. 28 ) Theyjudge not the canje of thefathe>It fe. Ic is a fin not to judgeany mans Caufe, not to judge the Caufe of the richeft, of the greateft; yet it is more finfull not to judge the Caufeof the widow and the fatherleffe. And when he faith, Tbej judgemt the Carafe, &c. the meaningis, they judge not the Caufe of the fatherleffe impartially and righteoufly. And in- deed, he that dothnot judge righteoufly, dothnot judge at all ; and when the Prophet faith , They judge not the caufe of thefa. therlefe,
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