Edwin Mayor.  
Cur' Special' tent' die Jovis in festo Sancti Michaelis Archangeli, xxix die Septembris 1698ᵒ Annoque Regni Regis Willielmi tertii Angliae etc. decimo.  
THis Court doth desire Dr. Barton to print his Sermon preached this Day before the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor, aldermans and Citizens of this City, at the Parish-Church of St. Laurence Jewry, being the Day of Election of the Lord Mayor of this City for the Year ensuing.  
Goodfellow.   

A SERMON Preached before The Right Honourable THE LORD MAYOR, aldermans, and Citizens OF LONDON, At St. Laurence Jewry, On the Feast of St. Michael, 1698.  
At the Election of the Lord Mayor for the Year ensuing.  
By SAMVEL BARTON, D.D.  
LONDON, Printed for Brabazon Aylmer at the Three Pigeons in Cornhill. 1698.   
PROV. xxi. 15. 
It is joy to the just to do judgement, but destruction shall be to the workers of Iniquity.  
SOlomon the wise King of Israel was not only a great Lover of Justice, (as every good Man is) but had great Power and Opportunity of doing Justice among his Subjects, by virtue of that high Office, that regal Dignity, with which he was invested. And he had also a great Sagacity in discerning how to do it, and finding on which side it lay, as we may learn from what is related of him in the First Book of Kings, concerning his deciding the Controversy between the two Women about the Living and the Dead Child. And therefore we may reasonably suppose that what he says in the former part at least, of the Words of the Text, was no more than what he himself had found to be true by Experience, It is joy to the just to do judgement: i. e. It is a great Pleasure and Satisfaction to a good and righteous Man to execute Justice impartially, 'tis what leaves a savoury Relish behind it, and is very delightful and comfortable in the Reflection upon it afterwards; But destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity, i. e. However wicked Men may possibly please themselves for a while in their unrighteous Deal, and rejoice in Iniquity for a time, yet first or last, in this World, or however in the next, it will be the Ruin of 'em, if a timely Repentance do not prevent it.  
This seems to be the most obvious Sense of the Words at the first reading of 'em. But there is another somewhat different from this, which they are also very well capable of, and both the one and the other contains a Truth that is very well worthy our Consideration; It is joy to the just to do judgement; or, as it may be rendered, The Execution of Justice is matter of Joy to the Just; i. e. Just and Good Men are very much pleased in seeing Justice done, tho' it be by others and not themselves, and even tho' they perhaps have no particular concern in it. And if we take the former part of the Words in this Sense, than the Antithesis will be the more clear in the latter part, But destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity, or, as it may be rendered, But it is a great Terror and Mortification to the Workers of unrighteousness; as if Solomon had said, When good Magistrates discharge their Trust faithfully, and execute Justice impartially, all honest and good Men are greatly rejoiced at it, but it brings a sore Terror and Consternation upon the Workers of Iniquity.  
Taking the Words thereof according to the full latitude of their Sense, they present us with four things to be considered.  

I. That 'tis a great pleasure to a just Man to do Justice.  
II. That 'tis a great pleasure also to the Spectators, if they be righteous and good Men, to see good Magistrates faithfully discharging their Duty in the Execution of Justice.  
III. That the same is a great Terror to the Wicked and Unjust. And,  
iv That Injustice and Wickedness will first or last bring a Man to ruin without Repentance. Destruction shall be to the workers of Iniquity.   
I shall speak something briefly to each of these Propositions by way of Illustration and Confirmation of them, and then proceed to make some Application. And,  
I. That 'tis a great Pleasure to a just Man to do Justice. And this it is  
First, Because 'tis an acting according to his own Inclinations. Now 'tis always pleasant to a Man to pursue the natural or habitual Inclinations of his Mind. Merciful and Compassionate Men take delight in relieving and succouring the Afflicted; A bountiful Disposition is pleased with Acts of Liberality, and therefore seeks the fit Occasions and Opportunities for 'em, according to that of the Prophet, The liberal deviseth liberal things. Even evil and naughty Inclinations make it pleasant in some degree for the time, to act according to 'em. So a Covetous Man takes pleasure in hoarding up Money, tho' to no purpose: One that is of a Revengeful Disposition, in acting his Revenge: A Luxurious Person in Riot and Excess. But the difference is, Where the Habit or Inclination is Evil, all the Pleasure that can come from acting according to it, is quite over-balanced, by the Sting it leaves behind; and 'tis not so pleasant in doing as 'tis bitter to reflect upon, and bitter in its Consequences. But on the other side, where Reason, Religion, and Inclination meet, there the Pleasure of acting according to such an Inclination, is entire, and no Sorrow mixed with it, but a Man is easy and well pleased in following the Bend of his own Heart, and does not fear he shall rue it another Day, but tho' he should meet with some Difficulties and Obstructions from without, yet he will find a Reward in the comfortable Testimony of his own Conscience: Therefore,  
Secondly, 'Tis Joy to the Just to do Judgement, because he knows that he does well in so doing, and that his Action is approved by Almighty God. He knows that he acts as becomes a Reasonable Creature, and agreeably to that Law by which he himself must be judged. And this cannot but be a mighty pleasure to the Mind: A pleasure which none can possibly have in doing wickedly: For however through Error such may sometimes imagine that they do well, yet that's the most it can amount to, they can never be sure of it, because it is not so; and generally wicked Men either know, or at least greatly suspect that what they do is evil, and displeasing to God, and that cannot but be a great Disquiet to the Mind of any Man that will give himself leave to think, and reflect on his own Actions. And hence,  
Thirdly, To do Justice must needs be Joy to a good Man, because of the assured Hope it gives him of God's Favour, who is evermore a Lover and Rewarder of the Upright; according to that of the Psalmist, 
Psalm. 11.7.  The righteous Lord loveth righteousness. his Countenance doth behold the upright. Thus Job, who was a great Ruler and Magistrate in his Country, grounded his hope of a Blessing from God upon his having faithfully discharged his Duty in the Administration of Justice, as we read in the 29th of Job, from the 14th. to the 18th. Verse. I put on righteousness, and it clothed me, my judgement was as a robe and a diadem. I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame. I was a father to the poor, and the cause which I knew not I searched out. And I broke the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his Teeth; Then I said, I shall die in my nest, I shall multiply my days as the sand. He hoped to enjoy Prosperity and a long Life, because he had been so good a Magistrate, and so great a Patron of Right and Justice where he lived. And this his Hope did not deceive him, tho' he had indeed a great Interval of Affliction. But,  
Fourthly, It may well be Joy to a just Magistrate to do Judgement, because 'tis an high Honour done him by Almighty God to be employed in doing part of his Work. For 'tis God that is the great Doer of Justice to all his Creatures: He is the Fountain of Right as he is the Fountain of Good: He is the Judge of all the World, and will one Day do right impartially unto all: He has said that Vengeance is his, and he will repay. 
Rom. 12.19.  However he does not ordinarily in this Life take the Execution of Justice immediately into his own Hands, but has appointed Deputies for it, to whom upon that account he has said Ye are Gods. However difficult it may be to prove any one particular Form of Government to be of Divine Right, most certain it is that Government and Magistracy in general, are the Ordinance of God. And of every lawful Magistrate, we may say that he is God's minister to us for good, 
Rom. 13.4.  a revenger to execute wrath on him that doth wrong.  
There are several other Reasons that might be given why 'tis such a Pleasure and Satisfaction to a Just Man to do Judgement. But the same are also Reasons of the Second thing, and therefore may be considered there. Now the Second Proposition was,  
II. That 'tis a great Pleasure also to the Spectators, if they be Righteous and Good Men, to see good Magistrates faithfully discharging their Duty in the Execution of Justice. So it is  
First, Because 'tis a Pleasure to see others doing that which one would do one's self, to see especially great Men and Magistrates concurring with one in Opinion, and doing that which one knows is right and fit to be done. But,  
Secondly, 'Tis Joy to a Just Man to do Justice, and 'tis Joy to all good Men to see it done, because 'tis a thing so very necessary, and so beneficial to Mankind. I shall not be large upon this Common Place: For 'tis obvious to the Thoughts of all Men, that without some Execution of Justice, there can be no Peace, no Security, no quiet or comfortable Living, no Property, no calling any thing one's own, and thence no honest Industry, nor none of the most ordinary Conveniencies of Life. And hence 'tis commonly observed, that even Thiefs and Robbers, tho' their Trade be all Violence and Injustice towards others, yet are forced to exercise some kind of Justice among themselves in the dividing of the Spoil.  
But it is not only those Crimes whereby Men do immediately injure one another, that a good Magistrate will think himself bound to punish, but those also whereby they dishonour God, or abuse themselves. For whatever we tolerate, none certainly can plead for a Toleration of Vice and open Profaneness or Wickedness. If we tolerate such things, we have cause to fear that God will not long tolerate us. But a faithful and diligent Endeavour to suppress all things of that Nature, by executing the Laws that are in force against them, is the only way to prevent God's Judgements from falling on us. And therefore it must needs be Joy to the Magistrate to do this, when there is just Cause for it, if he be one that delights in doing his Duty, and Joy to every good Man to see it done; to see Virtue and Piety encouraged, and notorious Offenders punished; to see Truth and Innocence brought to light and cleared, and malicious Subtlety defeated of its Designs; to see Order and Peace maintained, Vice discountenanced, and Wickedness, if not totally suppressed, yet kept under Hatches, and not daring openly to show itself. These are very comely and desirable Spectacles in such a World as this, where we cannot expect that all things should be so well as we could wish, but aught to be thankful to those who use a diligent Endeavour to keep things in some tolerable good Order, those good Magistrates who study to promote the Public Peace and Welfare, and to answer the Ends of their Institution. Again,  
Thirdly, There are some particular Cases wherein it is more especially a pleasant thing to do Justice, or to see it well done. As for Instance, When Wickedness is such as cries for Vengeance, when it seems big enough to bring a Stain of Gild upon a whole City or Nation, if not speedily avenged, or when the Sufferings of some innocent Persons are such by reason of Oppressors, that 'tis enough to grieve the Heart of any well-natured Man to observe it. In these and such like Cases, a good Man may be in pain till he has seen Justice done, his Stomach may so rise against some sort of Wickedness as it may happen to be aggravated, or his Compassion may be such towards some Sufferers, or he may be so apprehensive of Public Gild and Infamy by reason of some Crimes, that he may be scarce able to brook any Delay. And in such Cases to see Justice done is very desirable and very pleasant.  
Almighty God is infinitely patiented, and bears long with Men, and yet when Wickedness is grown to a great height, we find him expressing himself as one in pain till he had executed Judgement upon Evil-Doers, Isa. 1.24. Ah I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine enemies. And even good Men (who are always compassionate, yet) may be allowed sometimes to rejoice in the Punishment of Evil-doers. For so says the Psalmist, The righteous shall rejoice when he seethe the vengeance, Psal. 58.10. Far be it from any good Man to rejoice merely in the Sufferings of another, how wicked soever, and not rather to wish for his Repentance and Amendment. But yet when Wickedness is very great and daring, or open and notorious, so that there is apparent need of a speedy Reformation to prevent the Judgements of God, it cannot but rejoice a good Man's Heart to see a Check put to it by the power of the Magistrate, and Examples made of some such Transgressor's, that so they themselves, if possible, may be brought to Repentance; and however, that others may see it and fear, and have a care how they do the like. And the Execution of Justice therefore in such Cases as these, finds a general Approbation and Applause; Whence Solomon tells us, That when it goeth well with the Righteous the City rejoiceth, 
Prov. 11.10.  and when the Wicked perish there is shouting.  
But to proceed to the Third Proposition. That's but the manifest Consequence of what has been already said, viz.  
III. That the Execution of Justice is terrible to Evil-doers. It must needs be so since 'tis they that suffer by it. Their Sin then finds them out, and brings 'em to public Shame, and their guilty Consciences many times in such Cases are let lose to torment 'em. And happy it is for them if they can but repent and amend their Ways, and so escape those endless Torments to which Sin else will inevitably bring 'em. They will have reason then to be very thankful for their Cure, tho' the Methods of it were never so bitter and unpleasant. But 'tis a sad and a dreadful thing indeed when Punishments in this Life from the Hand of the Civil Magistrate, are but a Prelude to everlasting Woe and Misery in the next; which yet must be the Case if not prevented by Repentance, according to the Fourth Proposition, manifestly contained in the Words of the Text, viz.  
iv That Injustice and Wickedness will most certainly bring a Man to ruin without Repentance. Destruction shall be to the workers of Iniquity. This is a Truth which has a necessary Connexion with, and Dependence upon the essential Attributes of God, his Veracity and his Justice. He has said it, and therefore no doubt he will make it good. And we must have very unworthy thoughts of him, if we can believe that ever he will suffer any Man finally to prosper by displeasing him, and doing Evil, seeing he always sees it, be it carried never so close, and always has it in his power to do Justice. It is therefore most certain that he will one Day meet with all the Workers of Iniquity, and convince 'em fully to their everlasting Satisfaction, that he was no idle or unconcerned Spectator of what they did, but did always intent what he had so often told 'em in vain, even to render to all Men according to their Works. And then they will never call in question his Providence any more, nor have it in their power to be Infidels any longer.  
In this World it cannot otherwise be but some will escape from Justice, as it is executed by Men. Some are too big for the Law, and some too subtle. And Humane Laws cannot reach to all Cases: They are indeed but an expedient for a little while to keep the World from running into a total Confusion. But whatever Defects there may be in them, or in the Execution of them, or howsoever Men may escape here, there is One above whom no Man can deceive, none can bribe, nor none can be too strong for, who will not fail to do right to all, and to make it appear plainly that 'twas every Man's Interest as well as Duty to live soberly, righteously, and godlily in the World.  
And now having spoken thus briefly to those Four Propositions which are all manifestly contained in the Words of the Text, as they have been explained, I proceed in the next place to make some Application of what has been said to the present Time and Occasion. And I think if we reflect seriously upon the Doctrine that has been delivered, it will afford us Motives sufficient to the Duties which all or any of us are now called to. Whether it be, First, to choose such a Magistrate as we believe will be faithful to the Trust reposed in him, and show himself to be a Lover of Justice, a Patron of Piety and Virtue, and a Terror to Evil-doers, which is the proper Business of some of you. Or, Secondly, To discharge this great Trust accordingly, and so as to answer the Hopes and Expectations of good Men. Or, Thirdly, To be aiding and assisting in the doing thereof, which is every one's Duty as he has Ability and Opportunity. Or, Lastly, which is constantly the Duty of us all, To behave ourselves so that a good Magistrate faithfully discharging his Trust, may be no Terror, but a Joy and Comfort to us. The Doctrine, I say, that has been delivered contains Motives sufficient to every one of these; which I shall crave leave briefly to lay before you, and so conclude. And,  
First, All those that are concerned may here find how much it does behoove 'em to use their Endeavours that such a Person may be chosen as they believe will faithfully discharge the Trust reposed in him; one that has the Courage to do Justice impartially; a Friend to Truth and Right; One that is of a true Public Spirit; a Lover of his Country, and of this great City in particular; and, (which is the Foundation of all) One that fears God; a Man sincerely Religious, and of unspotted Virtue, and consequently a sure Enemy to all Debauchery, Profaneness, and Immorality; One, in short, to whom it will be joy to do Judgement and Righteousness, and who will do what he can to prevent the utter Destruction of the Workers of Iniquity, by exercising an wholesome Severity towards 'em, that if possible they may be reclaimed, or, at least, to stop, as far as may be, the Contagion of their ill Example; such an one, or one that approaches nearest to, and deserves most of such a Character as this, will every good Man desire to choose. For why? The Love of God, and of Religion, of Justice and Righteousness, the desire of the Public Good, and the hopes of averting the heavy Judgements of God, by giving some Check to growing Impiety, must needs prompt him to it; And he will consider that if he knowingly contributes to the setting up of one who he believes will not answer these Ends, he thereby derives a Share of the Gild of all upon himself, and becomes answerable for other Men's Sins, with all the sad Consequences of them. But,  
Secondly, Whoever shall be chosen to serve God and his Country in so high a Station, I must entreat him to suffer the Word of Exhortation, and to consider the Motives that have already been suggested to a faithful discharge of his Duty in doing all that he can, and that the Law empowers him to do, not only towards the promoting of Right, and Justice, and Equity between Man and Man, and the preventing of Oppression and Extortion; (which are crying Sins) but also for the beating down all manner of Vice and Profaneness by a vigorous putting the Laws in execution against them, and encouraging, (not Brow-beating,) such as are willing to be helpful in so good a Work, and to give Information against Offenders; This is a thing highly becoming every good Magistrate, and no more than what is required of 'em by his Majesty's late Proclamation for preventing and punishing Immorality and Profaneness. A Work it is which he may justly delight and glory in: For 'tis such an Use of his Authority as he may be sure will be acceptable to God, and approved of all Good Men, which ought to be a Consideration sufficient to arm us against the unjust Censures and Obloquy of others: 'Tis a Work highly necessary in such an Age as this, when so great a Torrent of Licentiousness and Wickedness has unhappily broken in upon us, and when the Overflowings of Ungodliness do so justly make us afraid of heavy Judgements likely to ensue. But how proper and becoming, how noble and honourable a thing is it for good Magistrates in such a Case to stand in the Gap, and with Phineas, to execute Judgement upon notorious Offenders, thereby to avert the Wrath of God, and to compel them by Force and Terror to forbear the open Practice of their Impieties, whom Words and Persuasions, Arguments drawn from Reason and Religion, will not work upon: For there are but too many of those who have no Faith, no Principles left for a Preacher to work on, but their Consciences are benumbed, and their Hearts hardened; And yet they have their Senses still, and are capable of feeling the Hand of Justice, and possibly might, some of them, be reclaimed thereby, were it well laid on. However, that were the way to terrify others, and to make the Works of Darkness to retire, at least, into Corners, and keep themselves within their proper and native Obscurity, and not crawl out into the Light, or appear Abroad, to spread their Contagion in the open Day. This is what will make the Countenance of a Magistrate awful, and his Appearance terrible to the Workers of Iniquity, but pleasant and delightful to those that love Righteousness. This is the way to procure a Blessing from God, and a lengthening out of our Tranquillity; and this I am sure will afford to him that does it, a far more comfortable Reflection afterwards than his making the greatest Worldly Advantage; or, in short, than any thing else can do. But,  
Thirdly, The same Motives which ought to prevail with Magistrates to set themselves, and bend their whole Power and Authority against the Workers of Iniquity of all sorts, should also persuade every one of us, as far as we have Ability and Opportunity, to be aiding and assisting to them in so doing, and especially to have a care how we weaken their Hands, or any ways hinder them in their Endeavours to do so good and necessary a Work. There is no question but if a good Magistrate sets himself in good earnest to the beating down of Vice and Wickedness, and promoting a general Reformation of Manners, the Devil and his Instruments will presently be very busy in opposing any such Design. They will traduce and misrepresent it, and endeavour to raise some Scandal or other upon all whom they find stirring and active in it. They will pretend to smell out some Design of promoting a worldly Interest, or advancing a Faction, and let Men carry themselves never so innocently and unblamably in the matter, some Quarrel or other they will pick with them, or raise some Stories whereby to disparage them, and to blast their Enterprise. But let us have a Care how we rashly give ear to such Insinuations, how we take up, or spread any false Reports of this kind, lest haply we be found Fighters against God. We cannot but be sensible of the great need there is of Reformation, and therefore, I think, the least we can do is to commend the Zeal of those that set themselves to promote it, and to encourage them therein. It is good for us, the Apostle says, 
Gal. 4.18.  to be zealously affected always in a good matter; and that I am sure none can deny this to be. Let us have a care therefore how we pretend to enter into men's Thoughts, or to judge and censure their private Intentions, which are known only to God and themselves. So long as the Work they do is a good Work, and the Means they use no other than what are lawful, it cannot but be very ill done to censure it, or endeavour to obstruct it, though there should sometimes (and 'tis a great Wonder indeed if there never should) be a Mixture of some Indiscretion in the Management of it.  
For my part, I cannot but look on it as a very great and wonderful Mercy of God to these Nations, if it shall please him to stir up, and to continue such a Zeal as there seems at this time to be among many young Persons, and others, for the promoting a Reformation of Manners; which may in due time, with the help of good and faithful Magistrates, give a Check to all open Impiety and Immorality, make the Laws against 'em useful, and reduce us by degrees to a general Sobriety, and some Sense of Religion, which at present are so woefully gone to decay. I am sure if this be not done, it must be said of us as it was of the Romans by the Historian, Nec vitia nostra pati possumus nec Remedia, We can neither hold up under the Weight of so much Vice and Corruption, nor yet undergo the necessary trouble of being cured. And then certainly we must be ripe for Destruction. But if we have any Love for our Country, any Care of our Posterity, any Sense of God's Honour, or any regard to the Credit of that Reformed Religion which we profess, it behoves us to be so far from hindering, that we should rather be ready to do all that honestly and lawfully we can, to prevent so great and imminent a Danger, by setting forwared to our power, a general Reformation of Manners. But,  
Fourthly and Lastly, The last thing that I told you we should be persuaded to by the Doctrine that has been delivered, is that which is the Duty of every one of us at all times, viz. To behave ourselves so that a good Magistrate faithfully discharging his Trust, may be no Terror, but a Joy and Comfort to us. That the Apostle tells us will be the Case if we do our Duty as we ought to do, Rom. 13.3.— Wilt thou then not be afraid of the Power? Do that which is good and thou shalt have praise of the same. For he is the Minister of God to thee for good; but if thou do that which is evil, be afraid, for he beareth not the sword in vain. And indeed tho' Magistrates may oft be too remiss in punishing Men for their Faults, yet they are very bad ones indeed that will punish them for doing well; That's quite contrary to the design of their Institution, and the very end of the Law, which the same Apostle tells us, was not made for a righteous man, to coerce or punish him, 
1 Tim. 1.9.  but for the ungodly and for sinners. And therefore unless it be by reason of some great Mistakes in Religion, or the like, it does not often happen that Men suffer from the Hand of the Magistrate for doing well. But where the Law is good, and the Magistrate good, there is no fear of it. It is therefore the Duty of all Christians to endeavour to live up so strictly to the Rules and Precepts of God's Law as to be above the Fear of Man's. And could we persuade all Men so to do, the Magistrate would have an easy Task. For Facile est imperium in bonos. Good Men are easily governed. And tho' it be Joy to a just Magistrate to do Judgement upon Evil-doers, when there is need of it, yet 'tis a much greater Joy to have no Occasion; and they are much better and happier Times when Men will do their Duty, and be good without it. Let us therefore be of that Number, and so shall we escape that Destruction which is here threatened in the Text, and will certainly come upon all obstinate and incorrigible Workers of Iniquity.  
FINIS.