That bribery is pernicious to the common-wealth. 215 but did turneafide after lucre , andtool e rewards g then they alfeperuertediudgemét,asit is i.Sam.8.3.SothcMagiftrates r,Sam.s.3. of Ifrael being corruptedwith greedycouctoufncfle, made rewards the very end and maine Ccopeof their judgement, Jvlich.3. II. Yea euen righteous Dauid, a man according to Mich.3 Ir. Gods owne heart , was fo intangled andcorruptedwith Zi- baesbribe,that hevniuf}ly condemned innocent A'Iephibo- bheth before hiscaufe was euer heard ; and when the intú(lice of this Centence appeared , by that iuft apology which he made for himfelfe; yet was he fo potfetfed withZibahis gift ..Sam.ró.r.z and falle report,thatnetther the loue which himfelfe bare to and 19.z9 iuftice,nor the remembranceof the vnmatchahle kindueilc and manifold beneflts,wfnich he had receiued from his deare Jonathan , could moue him toreuoke wholly hisvnrighte- ous iudgenient,nor to inUt vpon this inunuatingvatlal de- ferued puniflhment, for his treachery towards his innocent mailer. So hard a thing it is to intertaine vnpartiall junta, when the heart is forcftalledwith rcwards,or to waike in the narrowpathof righteoufneffe, when the eye ofiudgement ishoodwinckt with bribes. But thiswill better appeare , if we moreparticularly exa- mine the vniuft cariagc of thole , whobeing in authority, Bribang jut/. fuffer themfelues to be corruptedwithbribes; for when pre- gesiuftilu the iudiceof the caufe is wrought in their mindes through the ickedfef a periwafionof golden eloquence , there is none fo wicked tard. whom they will not iu!1ifie,nor any fo innocent,whom they arenot ready to condemne . Neither doe they in determi- ningofcaules , confider what is iufl , butonely remember what they haue receiued ; not what in equity and conici. ence theyought todoe, but what they haue prornifed todoe for their reward . And ofthere theProphet Cpeaketh , Efa. S. 23. Which iuflite the wick dfora reward,and takeaway the Era' s.a3. righteoufnefe o f the righteousfromhirn.For the former;when a caute is to be handled and determined before a corrupt Iudgc , who loueth gifts, andbathhis hand open to receiue rewards ;then the prouerbe is alwaies verified : Pecaniofus damnarinonpotef : Amonied {nnan cannot be condemned; nay feared), rcprooued for his greateft faults ; for as one G g faith:
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