WHen the Prophet Micah observ'd how the Formal Jew doted upon his Sha­dowy Ceremony, he presseth the Sub­stantial Duty of Justice upon him: In Aram Dei Justitia imponatur; Let Justice be put upon thy Heart the Al­tar, Offer Mercy rather then Sacrifice: And, if by Humility thou make thy self a whole Burnt-Offering, consuming thy former Glorious Self in that Holy Con­flagration; How much more Acceptable will this be then the Fat of Rams? In like manner, when I take notice that some Novelists of this Age of ours, have been so wholly given to Platonick Speculations, Ayery Notions, and Fond-affected Expressions; who, would be accounted Religious, (though they have lost their [Page 2] Decalogue in their Pretended- Creed, and Morall-Ho­nesty in the Refinedness of their Faith:) I hope it will not be unsuitable, if I, (according to this Prophets Method,) press these Primitive Practical Duties of Justice, Mercy and Humility, in the Language of my Text. Thus then, God having cleared himself from those unworthy Aspersions of a hard Master, which some undutiful Servants would have fixed upon him, in the soft Language in the third Verse of this Chap­ter; O my People, What have I done unto thee? and, Wherein have I wearied thee? testifie against me: and then, by a short Epitome of his long continued sig­nal Favours Tacitly tax'd here, (as plainly elsewhere) the Ingrateful, Hypocritical, and Formal Pretences of that Jewish Nation, Vers. 5. O my People, Remember now what Balack King of Moab consulted▪ &c.

At the sixth Verse they make their Reply; Where­with shall I come before the Lord, saith Israel? and how my self before the high God? If the Lord would be appeased with thousands of Rams, or ten thousands of Rivers of Oyl, these Impossible things I would at­tempt; yea, even unlawful ones, The First-born for my Transgression, and the Fruit of my Body for the Sin of my Soul; this would I give for an Attonement. And indeed, any thing of that People God might sooner have had then a broken heart: The Prophet now comes to make Gods Rejoynder in my Text; Away with such flourishing Pretences, you do but shuffle and trifle with God; you need not now begin to ask the way to Zion, with your faces thitherwards; you need not make so much Question what will please him? He hath spoke his mind freely, and his Com­mands [Page 3] are fair writ, he hath shewed thee O man what is good.

Thee O man—If man should be taken for the Magistrate, as Gen. 43. 11. Carry down the man (the Ru­ler Joseph) a Present, and in other places, then the Errand is in the Prophets language, to thee O Captain. Truth is, if a man in power will walk in darkness, some puny advantages he hath to deal perversely; but if he will but eye the light of the word, he shall find all these obviated in my Text: What is it the Lord requires? (lest he should be injurious, to do ju­stice;) lest he should be cruel, to love mercy; lest he should be frivolously imperious, to walk humbly.

And because the name of Adam being so low, man rather affects that of Geber, a Gilded Hillock; nay, to be accounted [...], The Prophet seems to check him thus, Pride gets nothing but a slight from Reason, and a worse sure from Religion; shall the Gloe-worm vye with the Sun? shall the Subject strut it in the face of his Soveraign? Walk humbly, 'tis with thy God. If there be many by-wayes, the night dark, or our Guide blind, we may easily fall into a ditch: but here's a light set up in the Text, and that from the Father of lights; He hath shewed.

And thee O man—It seems a particular Ray is or­der'd to reach every single person; He hath chalked out the way, the good old way; this do and live. Thee O man—Though spoken by the word in gene­ral, as much concerns us as if directed to every indi­vidual. God (as I may so say) talks with every person immediately, ayming to awaken every single soul to his duty.

Let us water our own Field by cutting a passage from the common River, inferring with David when God at large saith, seek ye my face. Let every one subsume, thy face Lord will I seek. But what is it the Lord hath shewed thee? what is good—This is an extensive word; what is seasonable, what is dele­ctable, what is profitable: The Apostle Philip. 4. 8. comments upon the word. Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, lovely and of good report. The all seeing eye enlightning the understanding, shews thee what is good for thy will to make choice of. If thou beest not so generous as to make choice of ver­tue for its innate splendor, yet surely so prudent thou wilt be to make thy election of that which is good for thine own sake. Self-love will constrain thee to this, as well as Gods Command. And what I pray is it the Lord requires? but to do justly—So good that 'tis a miracle man should need a Mandate for the acting of it, or a Law-giver to require it. Gregory Nazienzen calls man [...], an heavenly Statue, of which no man was the Artificer; and so may I call my Text. Justice, Mercy, and Humility, these rich glories of the Soul are fit materials for a su­perstructure that may reach Heaven. The language of the Text speaks it of no humane extraction. The Precepts are so excellent, and refin'd, so agreeable to the spiritual part of our temper, so apt to clense and sublimate the drossy part of man, that they are even proportion'd to feast our Souls.

There is such a Facultas Deo Analoga, an [...], as Plato styles it, betwixt this Law (I am sure) and the Soul, that the Affections are necessitated [Page 5] to strike in i'th' Chorus: Such a commanding Beauty, man cannot chuse but be enamoured with its Rays; the words like so many Philtres, charming us into an holy obedience; the very sound of them, like Davids Harp, may drive away the evil spirit, [...]. They are Love-tokens left with the Sons of men to engage their affections to him: Two of them be in the representations of Himself. Upon such an ac­count St. Chrysostome in his 12th. and 13th. Oration [...] words it thus concerning his [...]; There needs no Oratory to allure men to these, we need not heap up Arguments to convince you of their equity. What need of an Interpreter to acquaint you with Gods meaning in them? They have such pro­portion with our reason▪ there is such a Magnetick power in the good that is offer'd to us, as may well attract every rational being. Such an intrinsick love­lyness, and native fairness in them, that 'tis no eclipse or diminution of the liberty of the first being, to say he could not but require them. Since he hath created the World, there must be Justice, and Mercy too to preserve it, else men would swallow down each other, as greater Fish devour the less.

To the Question then the wicked put, Psal. 4. 6. Who will shew us any good? our Prophet may make answer in the Text by just & merciful actions God will put more joy in our hearts then when their Corn, and Wine, and Oyl (their goods) increased. True, if critically we di­stinguish, none is good but one, that is God, but Vertue being the way to the Author of Vertue, we must use the Stream of Justice to come to the Just one, and the Ri­vulet [Page 6] of Mercy till we come to the Fountain of it. Thus we love lower Excellencies because they lead to higher; as we value gold Oar when we find it on the top of the earth, because it leads to the Mine it self. And if one poor spark of Vertue be so to be loved for its self (as Justice) much more is that infinite Rock of Orient and most shining Vertue to be loved in God.

The Text then is an Answer to the Question, verse the 7th. wherewith shall I come before the Lord?—And in opposition to their formal he offers a real way of pleasing God: Do justly, &c.

In which three words you have the two Tables of the Law: all the second Table duties are comprehend­ed in the former part of the Text, Justice and Mercy, and the sum of the first Table duties in the later, and walk humbly: (that is) notwithstanding you could plead exact equity towards the rich, repeating Samuels Challenge, and melting Charity towards the Poor, yet still you have need of the Righteousness of a Saviour, and the Mercy of our God; therefore walk humbly.

Let's take a Landscaip of the words, though many through wilful ignorance or contempt pretend they know not the way of Duty, yet God hath not left them in a dark Apocrypha, but he hath vouchsaf'd a clear Apocalypse. He hath shewed—

And though even earthly Princes think it below them to render a reason of their Decrees, yet that men may be convinc'd of the equity of his proceedings, that they are such as flow naturally from an enlightned soul (if violence be not offered to it) he appeals, what is it the Lord requires?

'Tis plain also by the gradation of the language, that whosoever pretends piety towards God, must be sure to be a strict observer of Justice amongst his Brethren. The foundation of all is laid in doing justly.

Yet in Mantissam, over and besides Justice, which is a due to all, there is another Duty, which though no humane Law can reach us if we act not up unto (for whoever was impleaded for not relieving the Poor? What Barr could Dives be brought unto though he withheld his goods from Lazarus, to whom yet the Wise man saith they are due) yet Gods Law requires even an office of mercy where an object of pity is ten­der'd; therefore my Text adds to love Mercy: And though we know the way, and acknowledge the equi­ty of it, endeavouring to please God by a sttict heart towards Justice, and an enlarged hand to Charity, ex­cept God be our God, and so actions perform'd as fruits of faith, they are not acceptable: my Text saith he must be thy God. To the Duties of the second Table we must joyn Duties of the first: These things ought ye to have done, but by no means leave the main undone, To walk humbly. Neither yet will it suffice, soberly to take the imployments upon us which God injoynes, and humbly to manage them for a start on­ly, but with a steddy, constant perseverence to the end. This is call'd in my Text walking with God.

More distinctly. First man pretends ignorance, but God saith he hath shew'd: 'Tis not to be denyed but many lye still in darkness, their foolish hearts blinded, so that they cannot understand spiritual things saving­ly, discerning spirits they have not, they cannot or­der their speeches or their persons as they should: [Page 8] They neither know the affirmative nor Negative part of their duty; they neither see what injustice they have done against the commands, nor what mercy they have neglected to do according to the Command­ment: Therefore the Error of their ways they understand not, they will not repent, and so are without hope.

'Tis for a Lamentation that too many sit still in darkness and in the shadow of death; but then where's the fault? hath God barricado'd up the way of know­ledge? or left himself without a wi [...]ness? who cries behold me, behold me, to a Nation that seeks not after him? True, an evil eye cannot behold that which is good, a coveting eye cannot love Justice, a cruel eye will not love mercy, nor a proud eye humili­ty; but the reason of all that is their own false glass.

These evil beasts or beastly Lusts have devoured the man I would speak to; If our Doctrine be hid, 'tis hid to them that are lost, eternally, if not temporally; for besides that [...], that sacred Manu­script which is writ by the finger of God himself in the heart of man, the Quakers Scripture of God with­in us, the Bible of Gods own Printing there (as they style it.) Remember St. Austins Tolle, Lege, he points us to a more legible Book; the Gleanings of this Book is better than the Vintage of all other; so that you need not now cry to us as the Disciples of John the Baptist, Master what shall we do? God hath gone before you in a fiery Pillar, whats writ in the Law▪ how readest thou? To the Law and to the Testimony, all their words that speak not according to this they have no light in them, but are benighted souls.

The Word is nigh you, in your eye, he that runs [Page 9] may read in our mouthes, the Word hath gone through the world, nay into your hearts convincingly: Nor is it an Oriental Tradition, or a Rabinical Dream only handed to us by unfaithful Ecchoes, and imper­fect rebounds, no ridling Oracles are our rule, but a revealed Word: there he hath shewed the O man: Omnis Scriptura est mensa Sapientiae; there you may feast your selves saith Origen, and Ireneus in his third Book says Ostentationes quae sunt in Scripturis non possunt ostendi nisi ex Scripturis, never so lovely or beneficial sights: The Devil hath his Showes, the whole world and the glory thereof; but our best way is to wink when he offers the object: Here's a sight man is made spectator of, so good, that 'tis worthy of Gods own eye, being an Emanation from himself: The vail is taken off from the face of Divine Truth, and you may love it for the beauty your selves behold in it. And as he gives his Word to shine without, so he gives his Spirit to shine within, that the light of the Spirit might apprehend the light of the Word: here are shewings indeed. Barren fruitless Cutiosities he hath not shewn, but necessaries to salvation are clearly re­veal'd; the Form of sound words, and the truth which is after godliness, these rich Mines are bared.

The way of Duty is plain; who so is wise may un­derstand these things; then shall you know if you fol­low after to know the Lord.

Light is come into the world, and we live in the Goshen of it. [...] should be our salutation; wel­coming these Irradiations: Ignorance is now wilful work; if men will either read or hear they need not be filthy; he hath shewed them a cleansing Fountain. [Page 10] Walk in the light then, and when with Solomen you have considered these empty and shadowy Lights below; where we can scarce find any thing worth a glance; then lift up your gates, and your hearts; that the King of Glory may come in with the goodly Train of his revealed Truths. Open your souls to these Heavenly Visions, and warm them in these eve [...]lasting Sun-beams.

Times of former Ignorance (so call'd because of glimmering discoverings comparatively) God is said to wink at, but after the Sun of Righteousness himself hath arisen with healing in his wings, now he looks broad upon sinners, chastising them with his beams for sins, though small as Atomes. You may have darkness in the day if you shut your windows. O why do you not open your eyes and discern? why do you act in the choicest points of Religion out of blind and implicit Principles? Sons of light will not do so, but in his light, they will eye eternal light. O how hath the Truth suffered betwixt the over-prying Socinian and the blind obedient; I would neither have you burn your wings by over near approaches to this light, nor yet wink at Noon. Above all O take heed of withholding truth in unrighteousness after these shew­ings.

Thou requirest obedience, Da quod jubes, said St. Austin, & jube quod vis. Surely if our Piety be not prevail'd upon by the reverence of this He in my Text, the Author, yet the excellency of the Imposition doth so recommend it to our reason, that we must put off the best part of our Nature to evacuate the force of our Religion. We have a Law, and by that Law we [Page 11] ought to walk; true, Lex non valet nisi promulgata, but this great King hath sent out his Proclamations: He hath so shewed thee: And least man should ap­peal from him as a severe Lawgiver, he appeals to him­self. What is it the Lord requireth? but that which is good, so good that Justice and Mercy are Gods own attributes. By his Prophet Ezekiel God takes it hainously, and well he may, that man should question his wayes by whom all things are ponder'd, and who doth all [...], accord­ing to the Counsel of his Will, with mature delibe­ration, being Equity himself; by way of challenge therefore, are not my wayes equal? And shall not the Judge of Heaven and Earth do right? And though he give not account of his matters, he is not bound to it, Job. 33. 13. Yet what is it, Come now, let us reason together saith the Lord: Are they not the cords of man and the bands of love, Hosea 11. 4. That I would draw you in by? By downy perswasions, not iron compulsions. What are you afraid of these golden chains? they are not Fetters for your feet, but Brace­lets for your necks. Vices are chargeable, but Vertue is free, and you are wooed to it in a winning way.

Origen in his fourth book Contra Celsum breaks out thus, [...]—Though it be mu­tual to Men and Beasts to catch and be catch'd, yet there is a great deal of difference Ratione an violentia. Now we are fetcht over with no rushing wind, or im­perious sowerness, but with gales of grace. They are ignoble disingenious spirits that are not won over by such wayes. The Sacrifices under the Law were sea­soned with salt, which mystically denotes discretion; [Page 12] and the Gospel is the best Rationale in the world: Let me therefore court you to the duties of the Text by St. Pauls Suada, Rom 12. 1. 'Tis [...], a Reasonable Service; the Law of God set before an in­tellectual eye, carries such a light and beauty in it as may justly ingratiate it with the understanding: And that heavenly beam which God hath darted into the soul of Man for the discovery of his own Laws, being so exactly conformable to that light, should readily comply with it.

God doth not so much as shew thee, offer any com­mand unto thee but what is good: His Yoke easie, his Burden light, his Commandments not grievous: They are good for thy self O Man: Thy goodness ex­tends not to him: And if thou wilt not hate thine own flesh, thou must embrace them. They consult their own good that do good, all things work for the best to them; when these few and evil dayes are gone they receive good in death: Whereas it shall be ob­jected to the wicked; Son thou hast received thy good things: Then the righteous mans best good is to be produced; and when Temporal goods fail he enjoys Eternal. The contemplation of this put David up­on the question, Psalm the 34. 12. What man is be that desireth to live and loveth many dayes that he may see do good? The answer at the fourteenth verse is, Let him do good; will ye still continue in a barren Wilderness, and not reach forth your hand to the offer'd Grapes of Eschol? will you give a ready submission to what the Devil requires, and will you be obstinate against Gods commands: will you be valiant under the comm [...]nds of a Tyrant, and Cowards under your lawful Sove­raign? [Page 13] What Command is harsh when Honour is pro­fer'd? What Obedience is performed though Heaven be as a Label annex'd thereunto?

Do but strive and thou mayst storm; attempt and thou shalt conquer: There is no difficulty to a resolv'd Soul: He that gives thee his Commands will assist thee in the keeping of them. But what formidable Commands doth God impose? Lord what wouldst thou have us to do; lets take a particular view. Is there ever a bitter herb in his prescription that might lead death into the Pot? Testifie against him if you find any. I speak to wise men, judge what I say. You whose senses be exercised, that you can discern be­twixt good and bad; you that have a spiritual Pallat, a heavenly Rellish, you ought to hear reason when Man speaks it, much more when God offers it, and in such a taking way. His Law makes man contract all his first reason to apprehend it: And the Gospel is the dilatation of Gods own reason, a line to reach even to us [...], rational de­monstrations. Every mouth must be stopt when God opens his so convincingly. Was it some great matter, was it never so difficult a work of faith, the Path strai­ter than indeed it is, 'twas well worth our strugling to obtain Heaven at our Journey's end: how much more should we press forward when he only enjoyns us those things which suit our reason so adequately?

To do justice— [...] what but [...], which the Emperour and Philosopher Marcus Anto­ninus held to be Equivalences: There are [...] in the world; even the ruder [Page 14] heap of Mankind, that do but [...], will cry up Justice; others, are so Rational, as to plead for Mer­cy; and, the better bred Bereans desire and endeavour to walk with God.

Doe Justly—And, Is not Suum cuique tribuere Natures Maxim? You may hear every man in his own Dialect extol this Precept, Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites; the barbarous Scythian, and wild American have some Relish of Justice, 'tis so pleasant. This Notion is a Pearl, that shines in the dark; none but wallowers in the mire will trample upon it: This Gold will endure any Touchstone; every Palate is sa­tisfied with its sweetness: In this Via Regia all Tra­vellors desire to walk; even Gath and Askalon would have owned this, and, Should not Jerusalem? Ju­stice hath an Olive-branch in its mouth, and drops sweetness and fatness upon the Land it comes into: Adeo res sacra est, saith Seneca, ut siquid illi simile, eti­amsi Mendacium, placeat; so venerable a thing is Ju­stice, that the very Counterfeit, the Bristol goes for Currant. [...], saith the Philosopher; Those that labour to pervert it, do yet Honour it: and, even those Men, who themselves will not practise it, can­not yet but love it, at least commend it in others.

It gives Honour where it cannot winn Assent: As Pilate acknowledged, he found no fault in our Saviour, whom yet he Condemned: This God expects from all. That Elegant Moralist Plutarch, sayes, God is angry with them that Counterfeit his Thunder and Lightning: [...]; His Scepter and Trident he will not have medled with; not imitate [Page 15] His Soveraignty; but, loves to see us darting out those warm and cherishing beamings of Justice in the Text, of Justice, Goodness and Clemency: They that practice these, with the Bee, may make a Trade of their Pleasure; in their business may have Recreation, and in a holy Epicurisme fare deliciously every day up­on their own Dainties.

Do Justly—Omnes virtutum species uno Justitiae nomine Continentur (saith St. Jerome) ad Demetrium. Do Justly; Not Talk right onely, as some Glib­tongu'd Absalons of late time; who, that they might Revile the Footsteps of Gods Anointed, (our late Martyr'd Soveraign of Blessed Memory,) said, There was no man deputed of the King to do them right, though their matters were just. O (saith Absalon) that I was a Judge in Israel! Great matters indeed, when he and they were Advanced; In his wrath against our sins he made them such: Was not the most righteous of them a Thorne-Hedge? Blessed be God who hath restored us our Judges as at the first, and our Officers as at the beginning; who will do Justice, not Word it only.

Do Justice—Not that I intend to Prescribe Laws to you, from whom we are to receive them; but, in regard Gods Law must have the Precedence, upon which ours are Grounded, I think it meet (as S. Paul upon another account saith) to put you in mind of these things from the mouth of God, though you do know them, and be establisht in those present truths.

Thus then, Justice being the First-born in the Text, may seem to challenge a double portion of Discourse: yet, my dispatch shall be quicker through this branch, [Page 16] in regard I have such lively Comments before me; nor need I press that much which these Parts have experienc'd to be your Practice for many years.

Do Justice—And then Justum is done Justè, when 'tis distributed equally. There was much Cor­ruption it seems in St. Cyprians time, which open'd his mouth thus; Inter ipsas Leges delinquitur, inter Jura peccatur, Innocentia nec illic ubi defenditur reservatur: Blessed be God we have no such complaining in our Streets. yet, exact and critically Curious should man be when he sits in the Seat of God; for, as Gre­gory in his Morals, Saepe ipsa nostra Justitia ad examen divinae Justitiae deducta Injustitia est, & sordet in di­strictione Judicis quod fulget in estimatione operantis; Our best Gold will scarce hold out weight in the Bal­lance of the Sanctuary: Much care therefore should we have in our evenness of Justice; Davids Justice was as large as his Dominions, 2 Sam. to all his People.

Let Judgement run down like water, and Righteous­ness like a mighty stream, that toucheth every door equally; No Fractus, no Windings: and, a sameness as in water towards all; as Justice must wet the head, so down it must run to the skirts of the Garment; like the Sun it rejoyceth as a Giant to run his course: Sol non alius diviti, alius Pauperi; & citius Solem à Caelo quam Justitiam a Fabritio—His beams are equally shed abroad; Laws are made without respect of persons: and, when they are so executed, then 'tis an honour to the Distributer, and a Happiness to the People.

That this may be done, Praecipitancy must be a­voided. I will go down now and see, saith the Judge [Page 17] Omniscient concerning Sodom: The Eternal God takes time to teach Man to weigh matters. A Cause may, (like the Israelites Cloud,) look bright enough on the one side, and yet Aegyptian-darkness on the other. Si Judicas, cognosce; and, when the Cause is ponder'd, the fear of man must be banish'd. A Ma­gistrate is Pudore, Blanditiis, & Metu major, saith Isio­dore: Pilate stumbled at this Stone, If thou let this Man go, thou art not Caesars Friend (said the Jews,) down falls his Courage at this word, and he lost three Friends thereby, God, Caesar, and his Conscience. The Ensign of the Law-giving-Tribe was a Lion, and with these Salomons Throne was supported: Phineas was a Man of a Noble Spirit; and, the Contempt of Fa­milies could not terrifie Job. When the Magistrate is valiant for the Truth, O how becoming is that Spirit of Power.

But, VVhat went you out for to see, a Reed shaken with every wind? alass, such a one is not worth look­ing on; he that doth Justice must not be flexi­ble upon the Account of any Relation or Re­ward.

Affections may pervert Judgment: When the Object is too near the eye, that Approximation and Vicinity is a prejudice to the sight. Justice is the Souls Serenity, a kind of Stoical Apathy: I may say as Aristotle, [...] 'Tis a pure Intellect, not onely without a Sensitive part, but without a Will; pure Judgement without Affecti­ons; All have an equal Interest in it, and Priviledge by it. Non Sanguinis necessitudo sed virtutis Cog­natio proximos facit (saith St. Ambrose;) So that [Page 18] the Magistrate must be Speculum non Coloratum; a Glass not prejudiced, not prepossest with any Tincture; as unconcern'd as the Glass. It was the Commenda­tion of the Tribe of Levi, Deut. 33. 8. That he said of his Father, I know thee not: What, Had these Levites lost Natural Affections? No, but they knew not their nearest Relations, so as to be partial in the Execution of Gods Commands: Iustitia non novit patrem, non novit matrem, veritatem novit, personam non accipit, Deum imitatur; 'Tis a great piece of the Magistrates Knowledge, to be Ignorant of his Ac­quaintance, lest they should Byass him or his Affecti­ons. Exit personam judicis quisquis amicum induit, saith Cicero.

A noble Resolution that was of Saul, had it been well grounded, 1 Sam. 14. 24. 39. Had he done well in Adjuring the People, he had done eminently well in resolving not to spare his own Son Jonathan: Per­sonal Relations must not sway in Publick Concerns. Though Coniah was as a Signet upon my right hand, yet should he be pluckt thence: And, as the Provo­cation of the dearest Relation must be hazarded, rather then that of God, and the Conscience; so much more light in the Ballance should a Gift be. Hugo in his Homilies calls this Fatuam Reverentiam alicui exhibitam, non causa debita sed propter Ʋtilitatem. 'Tis below a generous Soul, and may Judas his Quid dabitis never receive other Answer then St. Pauls Si­lence: Felix looked that he should have given him Money, but his expectation was frustate. Lyranus hath a Note I cannot here pass; for, there is as great a temptation to a Christian to favour a poor man in [Page 19] his cause out of tender comiseration as there is in hopes from the rich; yet this must not be done neither, saith he, ne forte motu pietatis indiscretae condescenderis ei in prejudicium justiciae.

These are the chiefest Remora's of the Ship of Ju­stice, but the remembrance of your names and places will break through these pitiful retards: I have said ye are Gods saith God himself of you. If really you would be so, let your hearts be cloathed with Zeal, as your bodies with Scarlet, which is an Emblem of it.

The Magistrate is [...], Lex loquens, quid vanae sine moribus leges proficiunt? Be greater then, by your example than your office: This puts life into the Law when you are the transcript of it, without which it is but a dead Letter. Holiness gives boldness: God looks for such men to stand in the Gap, and make up the breaches of Justice. Such as eyeing the day of the Righteous Judge are timerous with a Laban or a Doeg, to abuse their power, as knowing they are call'd Shields of the Earth, to whom power is given principally for protection, not vexati­on or ruine of others. Nemo prudens punit quia pec­catum est, (saith Seneca) sed ne peccetur: Revocari e­nim praeterita non possunt, futura prohibentur; 'tis not in the power of punishment to recall what is past, but to prevent what is possible the reaching: 'Tis in ex­emplum, that Israel might hear and fear and do no more so presumptuously.

Lest man should mistake the ground of his power, as if it was given him to march Agrippa like [...], the Text tells him of another design that God hath; and therefore he backs his power with a precept of pity: Love mercy.

Non mihi sed populo, said Adrian the Emperour; and the Philosophers words are [...], Hoc Reges habent mu­nificum & ingens, prodesse miseris, saith Seneca.

The Apostle calls the Magistrate a Minister for good; and was it not for this addition of Mercy, even Justice it self might be suspected for Cruelty. We must then do justice so, as that we must love mercy also.

Justice is a debt upon Mans account, Mercy is Gods over-measure. One of the Kings of France said to a Woman, who on her knees beg'd justice of him, Rise up or beg mercy, for I owe thee justice. Man punish­eth if we be not just, but God punisheth if we be not merciful: his wayes are not as our wayes, nor his thoughts as our thoughts; he hath many supereroga­ting moreovers.

And love Mercy—And now that I have shewed how Justice conveys your estate over to you, I might shew you how Mercy calls for an holy alienation of it, bids you draw forth your soul to the hungry: So the word Mercy is sometime taken: but this would not be so suitable.

Love Mercy—If we take the words exegetically, by way of Comment upon the former; then he that doth justice must by his place afford unto the people a mer­ciful protection in opposition to cruel oppressors. Up­on this account the Prophet Ezekiel in his 28. 16. styles the Magistrate a covering Cherub, to spread out a securing wing; and so is Moses styl'd a Nursing Fa­ther to his Israel.

Or if we look upon this as a distinct charge (as in­deed [Page 21] there seem to be a great Emphasis of love upon Mercy, and a merciful act may be done when 'tis not loved) then the Magistrate must be of sedate affecti­ons, of a composed temper, not hurryed away with the least violence of passion. The reason is render'd by St. James; For the wrath of man worketh not the righ­teousness of God, no 'tis observ'd they stand in opposi­tion there: Inferiora fulminant, there's thunder in the lower Region; but all above is quiet: He that is plac'd above his Brethren, must not give place unto wrath. None refuse the waters of Siloe because they run softly, but such as are styl'd the raging waves of the Sea, foaming out their own shame. The God of Peace requires pacatum animum, a quiet composure of our spirits; and in the execution of any office, then especially must we love mercy, having an eye to softer qualifications rather then more rigorous exactions. This seems to be added in my Text, to doing justice to season and temper it to a golden Medium, lest Man should walk up to the extremities of Draco's bloody Laws, that punished all offences with death. St. Am­brose gave excellent counsel to Theodosius after his rash Massacre, he wisht that in all Sentences that con­cern'd life, there might be thirty dayes before the Execution; Some space to shew mercy if need requi­red. Thus when you sit upon the Bench in Judg­ment let mercy give the Sentence. In the height of Jewish malice St. Paul assures us in order to himself, that they went less still then the summum jus of the Law, Deut. 25. 3. Forty stripes saith that Text he may give him and not exceed: compare this with 2 Cor. 11. 24. And St. Paul saith, of the Jews received [Page 22] I forty stripes save one. All things then that are lawful for us are not expedient for us: He that chu­seth alwayes to walk upon the Battlements is in dan­ger of the Precipice. You that are the distributers of Justice then, be merciful as your Judge which is in Heaven is merciful. Would you know how that is? So unwillingly doth he grieve the Children of men, that he calls the act of punishing his strange act. Opus suum alienum extorquemus ut pereamus, saith Tertul­lian. It comes with a sigh, Heu consolabor, ah—I will ease me of my adversaies, and avenge of my ennemies: yea and a tear too. Plangitur Princeps Tyri, quam bonus Deus (saith Origen) qui etiam eos deflet qui se neglexe­rint. Deas tristatur non de injuria sua, sed de nostra perditione. O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self. Thus our Saviour when he beheld the City wept over it. What a strugling is there in his calm breast, who says What shall I do unto thee Ephraim? how shall I make thee as Admah? And at last Mercy triumphs o­ver Judgment: My repentings are rolled or kindled to­gether; I will not proceed to execute the fierceness of my wrath, with a remarkable twitting reason, for I am God, and not man—O let all that have the signature of God upon them imitate him. St. John saith in­deed he saw his Saviour with a Sword, Revel. 19. 15. But it came out of his mouth; Oris arma sunt oscula; No weapons but kisses from the lips. If there had been any danger of this Sword, the Spouse in the very first words of the Canticles would not so passionately have broke forth: Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth. My Beloved is white and ruddy, saith the Church there. In that dusky Type he is resembled [Page 23] to a Man, whereon Thomas descants excellently; Can­didus in toto corpore rubicundus in genis, white in all conceal'd places, ruddy only in the face, which is ob­vious to every ones eye, as if it was but a show of Ju­stice rather to terrifie then torment: White when merciful, but in his justice ruddy, as if he blush'd to be constrain'd to punish by our obstinacy. God ordina­rily reveals himself in the Old Testament by two Names, Jehovah and Elohim: Now the Hebrews note quando egreditur sententia ad clementiam, he chuseth to be call'd by his great Name Jehovah, his proper in­communicable Name? but quando egreditur sententia ad justitiam in any process of Justice or Judgment he alwayes styles himself Elohim. By which Name An­gels, Judges, and false Gods too are once call'd. God it seems is jealous of his Name of Mercy. Imi­tate him, and do acts of justice with melting spirits and tender bowels. There is no such great Chasme betwixt Justice and Mercy, as some think, no irrecon­cilable antipathy, they may well enough greet each other with an holy kiss; you may bring about Justice by a high and powerful, yet withal a soft and delicate hand▪ Mercy need not disarm your Justice; Moses Rod may be both a Serpent to sting the guilty, and a staffe to support the weak. These may stand together, and yet a third, an humble heart must be conjoyn'd; all is in vain else. Walk humbly with thy God, saith my Text.

I should not have dar'd to have detain'd you thus long from those weighty affairs I know are incumbent upon you, but that my Text at least pleads my par­don, when it enjoyns you mercy; nor will I retard [Page 24] you much longer now lest I should be thought guilty of that which I do decry, and pressing humility shew my self ambitious to detain you.

Briefly then come we to the highest step of this Heavenly Climax, even the must humble posture be­fore the most High: And now give me leave, like that holy Leveller of Mountains, John the Baptist, to prepare the way of the Lord, by the language of my Text, commanding humility. Man is a proud Crea­ture, prone to stand upon his own supremacy, even to Deifie himself. When thus puft up above measure, Humility is the thorn to prick that Bladder. How many still think the Urim and Thummim, the Brest­plate of Judgment, is only with them. Humility teacheth such [...], not to be over-wise. I cannot stay to shew you the Lenthenlook of Humility in antient times, nor the hoof'd knee by continued prayer; yet with much sadness I cannot but observe humility in our times is grown more stately. Knees of the soul, those invisible ones she will pretend to give readily, but Elephant like, wants joynts to bow the body: Present their Souls a living Sacrifice they will, but their bodies are dead. If St. Paul himself implore them by the mercies of God to present their bodies, he must pardon them: So humble these are they are afraid to be reverent. How Seraphick is this Hypocrite in whom the Sword of the Spirit is melted when the Scaberd of the body is untouch't! A Body O Lord thou hast prepared me, and if my Body expect to be glorified, it must be humbled. But the very mention of this new modell'd humility is a sufficient confutation of it.

To give you succinctly the real grounds of Humility in the Text. He is God, Thy God, Thy God that ho­nours thee to walk with him; Walk humbly with thy God.

The God to whom futurities are present; Nullum tempus occurrit Regi: To the King of Heaven I am sure. And, we have nothing but a kind of Scepti­cal [...] of whats before us: He the allseeing God, we poor Prisoners of the flesh, looking but out of the Grates. Consider his Purity and Perfection, and thy own Pollution and Prophaneness; How low will thy Language be (as the great Apostle's was, upon a glance of Christs Divinity breaking out,) Depart from me, O Lord, for I am a sinful man. Stars disappear when the Sun ariseth; Gods fullness may show us our empti­ness.

Thy God—There is much Divinity in Pronouns: Thy God, to whom thou art oblig'd for the dews of Hea­ven, and the fatness of the Earth, Spiritual and Tem­poral blessings; that honours thee to walk with him in his Shecinah, Numbers 17. 4. There will I meet with thee: The Psalmist points us to Eye him there still; Seest thou the goings of my God and King in the Sanctuary? That honours thee to Sup with him, nay of him; Such Honour have all his Saints: therefore are they humble walkers.

Hac itur; this is the way. Vis capere Celsitudi­nem Dei? Cape prius humilitatem Christi, saith St. Ber­nard. Excelsa est Patria, Humilis est via: Qui quaerit Patriam, quid recusat viam? saith St. Austin. This is a duty incumbent upon all, and especially upon those men whom he hath so honoured, from them he expects more Humility.

What then can you render unto the Lord, who hath invested you with his Name and Power? What less can you give him then the full of his expectation, that you should walk humbly with that God who hath placed you Rulers over Men? How glorious is St. Bernards Humilitas honorata, an Humble Mind in an Honourable Place? How lovely is this Treasure in our earthen Vessels?

But, because there are other Versions of these last words of the Text, I shall name them (and onely so,) To follow God, saith the Syriack: Sollicitum ambula­re, saith the Vulgar: Eris ergo Humilis in ambulando in timore Dei tui, saith the Chaldee, and that's most Comprehensive. In the fear of Thy God, Tremble thou Earth at the presence of the Lord: Did Mount Sinai tremble, and shall not our hearts? This fear will not suffer a man to cut off so much as a Skirt, or Lap of Justice.

This holy fear is the principal part of a good Ma­gistrate; yea, the very form and soul of such a one; for, it troubles me to make it but a part, which Salo­mon calls the whole of Man, Eccles. 11. 13. Fear God, &c. This is the whole Duty of Man: Especially such a Man as is sent of God for the punishment of evil doers, and the praise of them that dowell. Be instruct­ed therefore, O ye Judges of the Earth, serve the Lord in fear.

If Judge, Jury and Witnesses stood in this holy Awe, How li [...]e would our Assizes be, for Equity, to that Grand Assize where Christ himself is Judge! Ba­sis omnium Timor plenus Disciplinae, saith St. Ambrose: A well Disciplin'd Fear is the Root of all Vertue.

Will you then in the fear of God Execute Judg­ment; and, being lovers of Mercy, resolve still to walk humbly? Our hopes are no less: If so, then be­sides that, the beauty of these Actions carries their reward along with them, and that you have the Hearts as well as Eyes of men upon you. I'll tell you what hopes you may have from your God; That, where­as now you are but Commissionated from an Earthly King for a short time, and a small Circuit, you shall be Translated, your Circuits enlarged: Shall not the Saints Judge the Earth? When Time shall be no more, you shall be enthron'd eternally: And, in­stead of this flitting, sojourning posture, in the Ser­vice of your God and King here, to you there shall be [...], you shall enjoy eternal rest amongst his Chosen. Which God grant to us all for the Me­rits of Jesus Christ our Saviour.

Soli Deo Gloria.