Fifth Commandme11t. and that it had been his Duty to have drawn his Sword, and cxercifed his Authority againfr the one, as we:! as againft the or~ er. We read Jikewife of fome Kings reprov.ed, becaufe they took not away the l11gh Places, but futfered the People ftill to burn Jncenfe 011 them, notwithftanding they proceeded far in other Parts of RefOrmation. Others are commended, that they did remove them. And among the rnoft renowned ACts of Hez..ekiah's Piety, it is mentioned to his immortal Honour, that he commanded the Priefts and Levites to fanctifie themfelves, and cleanfe the Tempk, and re!tore the true Woril1ipof God, afterminy Years Interruption, when it W;ts not only difufcd, but almoft forgotten, 2 Chron. 29. The like alfo did King Jof.aswirh the like Zeal, and received the like Approbation and Teftimony fromGod; This therefore is the firft and chief Duty of Supream Magiftrates , viz... To maintain the true WorJhip and Service of God,. and to rctOrm whatfoever Corruptions and Abufes they find to have crept into it. .. Secondly ; ·Another Duty is, to appoint Men of approved Ability and Integrity 2: .to be in Authority under them. For, becaufeKingscannot beomniprcfent, nor omnifcicnt, it is therefore ncccffary that they fuould hear with other Mens Ears, and fee with other Mens Eyes, and aC! with other Mens Hands; arid therefore they ought to make cboice of fuch as are Men of known Fidelity and Wifdom, to commit fo great a Charge unto. For be the Fountain never fo clear, yet the Streams mu!t needs be volluted, if they run through filthy Channels: Kings therefore fhould do according to the Counfelof ']ethro, Ex:od. 18. 21. Provide out of all the Pcopie able Mm, fucb ItS fear God, Men of Truth, hating Covetoufoe{s ; ~tnd pl~~.ce fuch 4S thefc over them, But where this courfc is not taken, but fuch arc intrufted \4 .'ith Command and Authority, who either negletl: the Government of the People, or opprcfs them in it, what doth the Prince but give away the half or more of his Kingdom? For what is not ruled, is loft. Neither fhould thefe fubfl:itutc Magiftrates be too numerous; for the very Multitude of them may poffibly be more burthenfom to the People, than helpful to the Prince. Thirdly; Magifl:ratesought todiftribute Juftice impartially, to maintain theCaufe 3 , of the poor Oppreffed, and to reftrain the Infolence of their proud Oppreffours ; to cruJh them by his juit A.uthority, who would crufh others by their unjuft Tyran~ ny. This is a truly Royal and Princely Vertue, which will prove not only an Ornament to the Crown, but a Safety to the Throne: For the Throne is eftabliflmd by Righteoufne{s , faith the Wife M:tn, Proverbs 16.. 12. FourthLy ; Princes and Magiftrates ought to be moft exemplary for Vcrtue and 4· Piety. The E. yes of all the People are upon them, and their AC.tions have as great an influence upon their Subje(t:s as their La\vs. Facere refle ci"..ts fuoJ l'rincepJ opti- Vdl. Pa~ muJ faciendo docct; cumq; fit imptrator maximus, exemplo major eft, faith P arerculw; A terculus, good Prince teacheth his Subjetl:s to live well, by living well himfelf; atid although 1• 2 • · he be the greateft in Command, is yet frill greater in Example. And therefore he is doubly bound to vertuous ACtions, both by his Confcicnce and by his Condition : The.one as he refpetl:s his own Perfonal good; the others as he tenders the good of his People, who commonly take their Meafures from their Superiours, and think Imitation of their PraCtices, to be a more a.cceptable Service, than Obedience to their Laws. But I cannot infift on every particular Duty of Princes and Magiftrates, neither perhaps would it be here very proper. In a word therefore, They ought to fear God a:bavc all, to feek his Honour and Glory, who hath raifcd them to the higheft pitch of humane Honour and Glory; to be prudent in their Defigns, courageous in their Performances, faithful in their Promifes, wife in their Counfels, obfervant of their own Laws, careful of their Subjects Welfare, merciful to the Oppreifed, favourable to the Good, terrible to the Evil, and juft towards all. Let them remember thefe two things, That they are Gods, and therefore fhould rule and govern as they judge God himfelf would do, were he vifi.ble here upon Earth; and that the·y arc Men, and therefore rnuft give an account unto thepreat God of all that Truft he hath repofed in them. And. certainly if they be caretul to perform every part of their Duty, though we may look only at the Splendour and Glory of their State, yet the Cares and Troubles that attend it, will be found fo great and weighty, th,at we Ihall find it a!l reafou in the World to make the Burthen of their Crowns lighter by our re~dy. and chear• ful Obedience. lt was well obferved by the Lord Vrru/am , That Princes arc like EffiJ of the EmJirr;-
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