TOTUM HOMINIS; OR, THE DECALOGUE IN Three Words,  
Viz, 

Justice,  
Mercy, and  
Humility.    
BEING A SERMON Upon Micah 6th. Vers. 8th.  
Preached in the Cathedral of St. Peter's, York, upon Monday the 15th day of March, 1668/9, before the Right Honourable Baron Turner, and Baron Rainsford.  
The Right Worshipful St Jo. Armitage Bart. being then High Sheriff of Yorkshire.  
By SAM. DRAKE, D. D. Vicar of Pontefract, and sometime Fellow of St. John's Col. Camb.  
London, Printed for William Grantham at the Black Bear in St. Paul's Churchyard, near the little North Door, 1670.   

TO THE TRULY VIRTUOUS And RELIGIOUS LADY, THE LADY MARGARET ARMITAGE, Wife to Sir JOHN ARMITAGE of Kirklees, Baronet.  
MADAM;  
THe best Guard being Innocency; and, this Sermon wanting Protection, Where shall it find more of Safety (because where more of Purity) then in Your Breast?  
Whilst I am Pleading my Gracious Sovereign's Just Power, I fear not but your loyal Husband will Espouse my Quarrel, and Patronise my Sermon: And, I hope, your pity will not see this Perish, Treating of those Virtues and Graces that have such an Assimilation to Yourself.  
I here present You, Madam, with a small Glass, but broken from the Crystalline Heaven; wherein, you may see the Body of Divinity, the Glory of the Lord; and, what Glory he would put upon you: Therein God presents to you as rich a Triple-Offering as the Wise Men of the East did to his only Son, Gold, Frankincense and Mirth.  
A Bevy of Rich Jewels, which the Indies are ignorant of; nor is Arabia so happy as to Parallel. The Ruby of Justice, the Pearl of Mercy, and the Emerald of Humility; Thus the true Christian is blazoned.  
May these Virtues then by the Sanctification of the Spirit, be as a Collar of SS to Adorn your Neck. May these unpolisht Lines, intended as an enlargement thereon, be subservient to your Devotions, and Closeted in your Pious and Discerning Breast; so shall you be all Glorious within, and the King of Heaven shall take pleasure in your Spiritual Beauty.  
In my Prayers I may not forget your Two virtuous Daughters; may Madam Margaret, and Madam Catharine deserve the stile of Jemima and Kesia (two of Holy Jobs Daughters) for the Light of Divine Truth in them, and the Perfume of Godliness.  
Residing at London, you have the Glory of Art and Nature in your Eye; but, the Ornament of a Meek and quiet spirit in God's sight is of greater Price.  
Some New City-Modes may differ much from this, and one from another; but, I assure you, after this Manner in the Old Time Holy Women, who trusted in God, adorned themselves.  
And, if you will be but so just to your own self, as to Peruse, and still Practise Gods Holy Precepts; so Merciful to Me, as to Pardon this Presumption, you Crown the Hopes and Desires of  
MADAM, Your Most Humbly Devoted Servant, S. D.   
Micah 6th. Vers. 8th. He hath showed thee O Man what is good: And, What doth the Lord require of thee? But to do Justly, to love Mercy, and to walk Humbly with thy God. 
WHen the Prophet Micah observed 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 than Sacrifice: And, if by Humility thou make thyself 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 Platonic Speculations, Eyrie Notions, and Fond-affected Expressions; who, would be accounted Religious, (though they have lost their 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 Prophet's 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? testify against me: and then, by a short Epitome of his long continued signal Favours Tacitly taxed 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▪ etc.  
At the sixth Verse they make their Reply; Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, saith Israel? and how myself before the high God? If the Lord would be appeased with thousands of Rams, or ten thousands of Rivers of Oil, these Impossible things I would attempt; yea, even unlawful ones, The Firstborn for my Transgression, and the Fruit of my Body for the Sin of my Soul; this would I give for an Atonement. And indeed, any thing of that People God might sooner have had then a broken heart: The Prophet now comes to make God's rejoinder 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 are fair writ, he hath showed thee O man what is good.  
thou 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, than the Errand is in the Prophet's 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 vie with the Sun? shall the Subject strut it in the face of his Sovereign? Walk humbly, 'tis with thy God. If there be many byways, 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 showed.  
And thee O man— It seems a particular Ray is ordered to reach every single person; He hath chalked out the way, the good old way; this do and live. thou 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, aiming 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 showed 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 enlightening the understanding, shows thee what is good for thy will to make choice of. If thou be'st not so generous as to make choice of virtue for its innate splendour, 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 God's 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 Lawgiver 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 refined, so agreeable to the spiritual part of our temper, so apt to cleanse and sublimate the drossy part of man, that they are even proportioned 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 to strike in i'th' Chorus: Such a commanding Beauty, man cannot choose but be enamoured with its Rays; the words like so many Philtres, charming us into an holy obedience; the very sound of them, like David's 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. chrysostom 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 God's meaning in them? They have such proportion with our reason▪ there is such a Magnetic power in the good that is offered to us, as may well attract every rational being. Such an intrinsic 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 show 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 Oil (their goods) increased. True, if critically we distinguish, none is good but one, that is God, but Virtue being the way to the Author of Virtue, we must use the Stream of Justice to come to the Just one, and the Rivulet 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 itself. And if one poor spark of Virtue be so to be loved for its self (as Justice) much more is that infinite Rock of Orient and most shining Virtue to be loved in God.  
The Text than 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, etc.  
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 samuel's 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 vouchsafed a clear Apocalypse. He hath showed—  
And though even earthly Princes think it below them to render a reason of their Decrees, yet that men may be convinced of the equity of his proceed, that they are such as flow naturally from an enlightened 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 Bar 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 tendered; 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 performed 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 join 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 employments upon us which God enjoins, and humbly to manage them for a start only, but with a steady, constant perseverence to the end. This is called in my Text walking with God.  
More distinctly. First man pretends ignorance, but God saith he hath showed: 'Tis not to be denied but many lie 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: 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 barricadoed 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. Augustine's Tolle, Lege, he points us to a more legible Book; the Glean 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, what's 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 may read in our mouths, 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 Echoes, and imperfect rebounds, no riddling Oracles are our rule, but a revealed Word: there he hath showed the O man: Omnis Scriptura est mensa Sapientiae; there you may feast yourselves saith Origen, and Ireneus in his third Book says Ostentationes quae sunt in Scriptures non possunt ostendi nisi ex Scriptures, never so lovely or beneficial sights: The Devil hath his Shows, 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 yourselves 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 showings indeed. Barren fruitless Cutiosities he hath not shown, but necessaries to salvation are clearly revealed; 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 showed them a cleansing Fountain. 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 everlasting Sunbeams.  
Times of former Ignorance (so called because of glimmering discovering 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 Atoms. 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 showings.  
Thou requirest obedience, Da quod jubes, said St. Austin, & jube quod vis. Surely if our Piety be not prevailed 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 ought to walk; true, Lex non valet nisi promulgata, but this great King hath sent out his Proclamations: He hath so showed thee: And lest 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 heinously, and well he may, that man should question his ways by whom all things are pondered, 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 ways 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 persuasions, 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 Virtue 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 catched, yet there is a great deal of difference Ratione an violentia. Now we are fetched over with no rushing wind, or imperious sourness, but with gales of grace. They are ignoble disingenuous spirits that are not won over by such ways. The Sacrifices under the Law were seasoned with salt, which mystically denotes discretion; and the Gospel is the best Rationale in the world: Let me therefore court you to the duties of the Text by St. Paul's 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 show thee, offer any command unto thee but what is good: His Yoke easy, his Burden light, his Commandments not grievous: They are good for thyself 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 days 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 man's 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 days 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 offered Grapes of Eschol? will you give a ready submission to what the Devil requires, and will you be obstinate against God's commands: will you be valiant under the comm●nds of a Tyrant, and Cowards under your lawful Sovereign? What Command is harsh when Honour is proffered? What Obedience is performed though Heaven be as a Label annexed thereunto?  
Do but strive and thou mayst storm; attempt and thou shalt conquer: There is no difficulty to a resolved 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; let's take a particular view. Is there ever a bitter herb in his prescription that might lead death into the Pot? Testify 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 , a heavenly Relish, 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 stopped 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 struggling to obtain Heaven at our Journey's end: how much more should we press forward when he only enjoins us those things which suit our reason so adequately?  
To do justice— 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which the Emperor and Philosopher Marcus Antoninus held to be Equivalences: There are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the world; even the ruder 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.  
Do 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 Traveler's 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 win Assent: As Pilate acknowledged, he found no fault in our Saviour, whom yet he Condemned: This God expects from all. That Elegant Moralist Plutarch, says, God is angry with them that Sergeant his Thunder and Lightning: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; His Sceptre and Trident he will not have meddled with; not imitate His Sovereignty; but, loves to see us darting out those warm and cherishing beamings of Justice in the Text, of Justice, Goodness and Clemency: They that practise these, with the Bee, may make a Trade of their Pleasure; in their business may have Recreation, and in a holy Epicurism far 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 only, as some Glib-tongued Absalon's of late time; who, that they might Revile the Footsteps of Gods Anointed, (our late Martyred Sovereign 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 intent to Prescribe Laws to you, from whom we are to receive them; but, in regard God's 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 established in those present truths.  
Thus then, Justice being the Firstborn in the Text, may seem to challenge a double portion of Discourse: yet, my dispatch shall be quicker through this branch, in regard I have such lively Comments before me; nor need I press that much which these Parts have experienced 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 opened 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 Balance of the Sanctuary: Much care therefore should we have in our evenness of Justice; David's 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 Wind: 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 rejoiceth as a Giant to run his course: Sol non alius diviti, alius Pauperi; & citius  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 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 pondered, the fear of man must be banished. A Magistrate is Pudore, Blanditiis, & Metu major, saith Isiodore: Pilate stumbled at this Stone, If thou let this Man go, thou art not Caesar's 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 terrify Job. When the Magistrate is valiant for the Truth, O how becoming is that Spirit of Power.  
But, What went you out for to see, a Reed shaken with every wind? alas, 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 Judgement: 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 only without a Sensitive part, but without a Will; pure Judgement without Affections; All have an equal Interest in it, and Privilege by it. Non Sanguinis necessitudo sed virtutis Cognatio proximos facit (saith St. Ambrose;) So that the Magistrate must be Speculum non Coloratum; a Glass not prejudiced, not prepossessed with any Tincture; as unconcerned 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 God's Commands: justitia 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 Bias 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 Public Concerns. Though Coniah was as a Signet upon my right hand, yet should he be plucked thence: And, as the Provocation of the dearest Relation must be hazarded, rather than that of God, and the Conscience; so much more light in the Balance should a Gift be. Hugo in his Homilies calls this Fatuam Reverentiam alicui exhibitam, non causa debita sed propter Vtilitatem. 'Tis below a generous Soul, and may Judas his Quid dabitis never receive other Answer then St. Paul's 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 his cause out of tender commiseration as there is in hopes from the rich; yet this must not be done neither, saith he, ne fort 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 clothed 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 timorous with a Laban or a Doeg, to abuse their power, as knowing they are called Shields of the Earth, to whom power is given principally for protection, not vexation or ruin 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 Emperor; and the Philosopher's 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 itself might be suspected for Cruelty. We must then do justice so, as that we must love mercy also.  
Justice is a debt upon Man's account, Mercy is God's over-measure. One of the Kings of France said to a Woman, who on her knees begged justice of him, Rise up or beg mercy, for I own thee justice. Man punisheth if we be not just, but God punisheth if we be not merciful: his ways are not as our ways, nor his thoughts as our thoughts; he hath many supererogating moreovers.  
And love Mercy— And now that I have showed how Justice conveys your estate over to you, I might show 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 styled a Nursing Father to his Israel.  
Or if we look upon this as a distinct charge (as indeed 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 hurried away with the least violence of passion. The reason is rendered by St. James; For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God, no 'tis observed they stand in opposition there: Inferiora fulminant, there's thunder in the lower Region; but all above is quiet: He that is placed above his Brethren, must not give place unto wrath. None refuse the waters of Siloe because they run softly, but such as are styled 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 wished that in all Sentences that concerned life, there might be thirty days before the Execution; Some space to show mercy if need required. Thus when you sit upon the Bench in Judgement let mercy give the Sentence. In the height of Jewish malice St. Paul assures us in order to himself, that they went less still than 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 I forty stripes save one. All things than that are lawful for us are not expedient for us: He that chooseth always 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 adversays, and avenge of my enemies: 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 thyself. Thus our Saviour when he beheld the City wept over it. What a struggling 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 Judgement: 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 to a Man, whereon Thomas descants excellently; Candidus in toto corpore rubicundus in genis, white in all concealed places, ruddy only in the face, which is obvious to every one's eye, as if it was but a show of Justice rather to terrify then torment: White when merciful, but in his justice ruddy, as if he blushed to be constrained 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 chooseth to be called by his great Name Jehovah, his proper incommunicable Name? but quando egreditur sententia ad justitiam in any process of Justice or Judgement he always styles himself Elohim. By which Name Angels, Judges, and false Gods too are once called. 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 Chasm 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 staff to support the weak. These may stand together, and yet a third, an humble heart must be conjoined; all is in vain else. Walk humbly with thy God, saith my Text.  
I should not have dared to have detained you thus long from those weighty affairs I know are incumbent upon you, but that my Text at least pleads my pardon, when it enjoins you mercy; nor will I retard you much longer now lest I should be thought guilty of that which I do decry, and pressing humility show myself 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 Deify himself. When thus puffed up above measure, Humility is the thorn to prick that Bladder. How many still think the Urim and Thummim, the Breastplate of Judgement, is only with them. Humility teacheth such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, not to be over-wise. I cannot stay to show you the Lenthenlook of Humility in ancient times, nor the hoofed 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 joints 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 reverend. How Seraphic is this Hypocrite in whom the Sword of the Spirit is melted when the Scabbard of the body is untouched! 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 modelled 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 what's before us: He the alseeing God, we poor Prisoners of the flesh, looking but out of the Grates. Consider his Purity and Perfection, and thy own Pollution and Profaneness; How low will thy Language be (as the great Apostles was, upon a glance of Christ's 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 obliged 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 go 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. Bernard's 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 only 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 Solomon calls the whole of Man, Eccles. 11. 13. Fear God, etc. 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 dowel. 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 Disciplined Fear is the Root of all Virtue.  
Will you then in the fear of God Execute Judgement; 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 enthroned 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.  
FINIS.