Hopkins - HP BR75 .H65 1710

'44 An Expojition upon the ------------------ the Heavenly Bodies, which caufc good or evtl Times, and whi'h have much Ve~ neration, bnt no Re!t. But then for fubordinate Mag;iftrates, who receive their Authority from tlie Su· l)ream, and arc between the People and the Prince, as the Prince is between the People and God; we have ~ \ready heard how they ought to by qualified, Exod. 18. 2 t. They muft be Mm Jearmg God, Mm of '"rruth, and htttmg Covuou[,uji. Their chief Duty is to f..:e that the Laws be executed according to their full inte'nt without refpc8 of Perfons, neither fearing to punilh the Rich, nor fparing t~ punilh the Poor, making no difference between one Perfon and another, where the Caufe makes none. For whofoevcr are thus partial, want that Courage and Firmncfs that ought to be in a Magiftrate, and lhnuld make him as inflexible as the Rule of Ju~ ftice it felf is; neither being frighted by the Power or Threats of thofe who are Great nor melted or foftned with the Cries of the Mean, 'but moved only by the Caufe: And therefore the Scripture ha rh exprefiy forbidden them, Exod. 23. 3· To c8umrnanct a poor Man in hiJ Cttujt: .For Pity may fometimes as much bribe and corrupt Judgment, as Rew~rds. They ough~ t? dtveft then~felves of. all Paffion, private lnterefis and Affctbons, to be tmparttalm the ~xecuuonof Jufbce upon the might i~ eft Offender as well as the meaneft ; upon their deareft Fnends and Relations as well as upon Strangers or Enemies. This will give Strength and Authority to 'the Laws, which clfc are but Cobwebs made to catch the fmaller Flies, while the great and ftrong ones break eafily throur;h: This is the way to conciliate Reverence and Vcneration to the Laws and Government, which in our Days are n;oft conrumelioufiy defpifed and vilified ; and by this courfc 'judgment jiJaU run doron our Struts as Wattr, and Rightcoufnefs ar a mighty Stream. In brief, becaufe I would not too long infift upon this Subject (thour;h it be large and various) let Magiftrates of what Rank foever they be, ferioufly confider that weighty Charge ~iven them by God himfelf, 2 Sam. 23. 3· The God of lfrarl [aid, the Rock of Ifratljpake to mr, Ht that ruleth owr Men muft bt juft, ruLing in tht Fear of God. Let us, in the next place, confider the Duties of Subjed:s tow3rds their Magifhates and Rulers. ~nd thefe are in the general three; Honour, Obedience, and Prayer to God for them. I, f.irft; We muft Honour and Reverence them, it is the Apofl:le's Command, l Pet. 2. 17. Fear God. Hon8ur tht King. We muft give unto them a threefold Honour; in our Thoughts, in our Speeches, and With our Subftance. r. We muft Honour and Reverence them in our Thoughts, looking upon them as the lively and virible Images of God upon Earth. Indeed the Divine Perfedions are the higheft Objec.1: of our Reverence ; and therefore as you .vould efteem and Honour any for their Wifdom, or for their Holinefs, becaufe thefe are fame Lineaments and Draughts of the Image of God ; fo you ought to Reverence thofe to whom the Almighty God hath communicated his Adorable Power and Authority ; for this alfo is the Image of God in them; yea, and tbough it fuould fo happen that ·they bear no other _Refemblance unto G?d, neither i_n his Wifdom, nor Juftice, norHolinefs, but are Wicked, cruel, tyranmcal and unwtfe; yet that Power and Authority alone with which they ftand inverted, challengeth our Refpea and· Reverence· for in this at leaft they are like unto God; and whofoever flights and defpifeth them, flights and defpifeth one of God's glorious Attributes Jhining forth in them. W c ought not to harbour any under-valuing or ill Thoughts of them. But where a People arc fo happy to be governed by thofe Magiftrates who have a w hole Conftcllation of Divine Attributes fh ining in them, Magiftrates that are juft and merciful wife and holy, they ought to g ive unto them the greateft Reverence that can belo~g to Creatures and to efteem and refpect. them nex t unto God himfelf. But although all thefe Jhould be wanting, yet that Power and Authority which God bath delegated unto them, is truly reverenc and awful : And the W ife Man bath Ea/, '"• Commanded us Not to curfe the King, no not in our Thoughts. :z.o. 2. We ough; to Honour and Reverence them i n our Speeches; fpeaking what · Good of them we know, and prudent ly concealing their Vices, or theirlnfirmities. For to whatelfe can it tend when we blaze abroad the Fau ltsof our Governours, but only to loofen the AffeCtions of their SubjeCts fr?m them? And how much more horrid a Wickednefs is it then, faltly to calummate ~hem, and by reviling \Vhifpers to fly-blow the Ears of thei_r Subjects, a~~ by ht~le Ar_ts and fufp!cious Inti· mations, an<;\ half-Sentences, to tnftnuate pohuck j ealoufies Into the Mtnds of the People

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