אלהים OR, God and the Magistrate: As it was delivered In a SERMON before the Honourable Baron ATKIN and Justice TIRRIL, two of His Majestie's Judges of Assize, in the Cathedral Church of Lincoln, and in the Shrievalty of the Honourable Sir EDWARD DYMOCKE Kt, and CHAMPION to His Sacred MAJESTY.  
By OBADIAH HOWE., M. A. and Vicar of Boston in Lincolnshire.  
Take heed what ye do; for you judge not for man, but for the Lord, who is with you in Judgement,  2 Chron. nineteen. 6. 
Ultio Magistratûs, DEI ultio est: & quam rependit Magistratus, rependit & ipse DEUS.  Spanhem. in Rom. xii. 19 
LONDON, Printed for William Mallory Bookseller at Boston in the County of Lincoln. 1663.   

Imprimatur  
Septemb. 15. 1663. M. Frank, S.T.P. River. in Christo Patri ac Dom. Dom. Gilb. Archiepisc. Cant. à Sacr. Dom.   

To the Honourable Sir Edward Dymocke Knight, and Champion to His Sacred MAJESTY, and High-Sheriff of the County of LINCOLN.  
SIR,  
THat Sober and Grave Apophthegm, which I find given by the Ancient Jews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sile & liberaberis, in English thus Be silent and be safe, gave a little check to my Resolves both for the Pulpit and the Press. That Impress, which Cambden in his Remaines tells us a Gentleman chose, Tuti montes, tutum silentium; Silence and solitude the best shelter, takes no small impression upon me. He that travels abroad in public, must expect to be wounded by two Thiefs, Envy & Ignorance; the first hath his eye always upon a blot, and he will be sure to hit it; and the sum of his numeration is only what was spoken ill. The second, as he sometimes admires, so he as often condemns that which he understands not. He that knoweth least, carpeth most; to make good that Proverb, That a Fly hath a spleen. Let the Dish and the Dressing be what it will, there being variety of palates, as were among Horace his Guests, it's an hundred to one, but the Cook is quarrelled with. But, Sir, my Resolve rather to serve you, their secure myself, brought we first upon the Stage; and it's the same that makes me continue so. Your Command bound me for the Pulpit, and to the Auditory, by way of Discourse; and your Candour brings me to the Press, and to yourself, by way of Dedication. What was presented to your Ears, is here represented to your Eyes: not as commanding your pains in the review, but craving your Patronage. Your Command did first give life to these Conceptions; they are therefore Yours. I humbly expect that right, that you will own them. The Subject was seasonable, had the Speaker been suitable; the Subject deserves your Patronage, the Speaker desires your Pardon. It is printed, as it was preached, without alteration, save only that I present it to you entire, as it was penned, with some few reserves of Application in the close, which my fear of too bold entrenchment upon public Concerns made me omit. It is not Ambition, but Obedience to yourself, and the commanding Requests of other Friends that makes me appear in print; & if I meet with ill measures from any that read it, I can esteem it one Compensation, that it is, whilst I am,  
SIR, Your humble and obliged Servant, OBADIAH HOWE..   
PSAL. LXXXII. Verse 6. 
I have said ye are Gods, etc.  
DAVID, our holy Psalmist, stands recorded both a King and a Prophet, both a Judge and a Preacher, both judging the Preachers, and preaching to the Judges. Hetelleth us Psal. xl. 9 I have preached righteousness, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in coetu magno, in the great Congregation, we read it; but Rab is qualitate, as well as quantitate magnum, as Shindler notes. The Septuagint reads it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is of the same latitude too; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Majesty, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are Princes or Great ones. So that David's preaching in coetu magno is but in coetu magnatum: and in the great Congregation, that is, in the Congregation of great ones. David is his own best Comment, and test, that he did it; Psal. cxix. 46. I have preached righteousness before Kings: and his own best instance, when he did it, Psal. two. Be wise, O ye Kings; and be ye instructed, ye Judges of the Earth.  
But howsoever, here in the Text, the whole Psalm is Concio ad Magistratum, and may be truly called, for so it is, a judge's Sermon. And if Marlorat calculate right, and if not, he erreth not with a few of the Learned. who tell us, Psalmum hunc singulari in usu fuisse apud judaeos, & ad hoc compositum, ut vel novis judicibus, vel singulis ad judicandum concessuris, praecineretur, that this Psalm was in singular use among the Jews, and penned to this end, to sing it before new Judges, or to every one when they came to sit upon the seat of judgement. And if thus, than I think I have pitched right, it is a fit vein, whence to fetch ●ater for this solemnity; and I might quit myself well, if I took not the Verse, but the Psalm, not for my Text, but my Sermon, as to 〈…〉; and make it my task, not so much to preach my repetition of David's Sermon. We find God often speaking to man, but here find man speaking to the Gods. And it's worth our observation, what's spoken, where Gods are the Auditory, and no less the Orator. David, it's true did both judge and preach, his typical relation to Jesus Christ, in whom there the sacred Monopoly of those Divine Offices, King, Prophet, and Priest, licenced him for that double service; but now both precept and prescription divide them. The duty in the one by providence is mine, the dignity in the other (My Lords) by Patent is yours. Your Patent is written by David here, and sealed by him, who is the fountain of honour, Jesus Christ himself, joh. x. 34. with an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and the Scripture cannot be broken. your Commission being thus writ and sealed, I have a threefold Task. First, to break it open. Secondly, to read it. Thirdly, to give a s●ort charge. The first in the Nomination. The second in the Explication. The third in the Application of the Text. To the first I address myself as to an easy work, soon done, in naming the Text, as the learned may find it, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or as the lowest may read it, I have said Ye are Gods.  
The Text is but a small Cluster; but, if well pressed, full of liquor; concise it is in sentence, but very comprehensive in Sense; but four words in it, and yet four parts; every word standing as an entire member in the succeeding division.  

1. The Judge's Dignity, in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
2. The Judge's Commission, in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
3. The validity and force of that Commission, in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
4. The particular application to Time and Person, that every one may take their share both in the Dignity and Duty in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.   

1. The Judge's dignity, they are Gods.  
2. The Judge's Commission, they are said to be so.  
3. The validity of that Commission, it's said by one that may say it.  
4. This is applicable to all Magistrates and Judges, wholly their Place and Office are so; and as to all, so to you (My Lords) he hath said, Ye are Gods.   
The Text being thus well spelled, if as well put together, as it shapes out work for a Judge, so it stirreth up a Judge to his work, in laying before him this Doctrinal Consectary, which I intent, by the divine assistance, for the matter of my ensuing discourse.  
That" Magistrates and Judges are not less than Gods," and God himself hath said it.  
Thus your Commission is broke open, and my first task discharged with ease. The second I am now come to, which is to read your Commission, and so distinctly, that all may hear and fear, and the reading of your Commission is the due understanding of the Text: and, that I may do it clearly, I must speak a word first of the Any, secondly of the Amarti, thirdly of the Elohim.  
First, for the Any, I have said, who is this I in the Text, that saith You are Gods. That Question is apposite here, that is put Acts viij. 34. Doth the Prophet speak of himself, or some other man? Doth David speak of himself, as if he said it, who was but a man, and may speak out of mistaken thoughts, as Ahaz, who sacrificed to the gods of Damascus that smote him, 2 Chr. 28.3. Those would be low and imaginary Gods, which are of man's making. And here there may be as great a mistake, as in the men of Lystra, who said of the Apostles, who were but men, that Gods were come down in the likeness of men. The Magistrate's authority is weak enough, until we know who this I is in the Text. Suppose, that it be David, that here saith, yet the authority will be strong enough, his inspiration for a Penman of Holy Scripture licenceth him to call them in spirit Gods, as it did to call Christ in spirit Lord, Mat. xxii. 48. The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of David the Apostle owns, and gives us a reason why we should do so, Acts two. 30. He, being a Prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath, and seeing this before, he thus spoke. David either speaks it out of Scripture, or it is Scripture because he speaks it. Propheta eyes in persona sacram Scripturam docentis ait, Ego dixi, saith Cajetan: that is, He saith, 
Cajetan. in Lo●. come.  I have said, in the person of one, who is dictating holy Writ. And Christ himself when he takes cognizance of it, John x. 34. brings it in with an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; Is it not written in your Law? David's say, if it be his, must pass for their Law. But yet we are short in the Any, it reacheth beyond a David; even to God himself: Potest hoc accipi in in Dei persona, saith Marlorat; 
Marlorat in loc.  It may be taken in the person of God himself. Propheta ducit Deum ipsum loquentem, saith Mollerus: 
Mollerus.  The Prophet produceth God himself speaking thus, I have said. And so best answering to the words of Christ, John x. 34. If he called them Gods, to whom the Word of the Lord came. His word bespeaketh them Gods, whose word sanctifieth the Son, and sent him into the world; and if so, the Magistrates authority is undoubted; for God's word must stand: though every man be a liar, yet God must be true, and his word shall stand, when man's shall fall. Let Tyrus, though a mighty Prince, say it, nay with the Emphasis of the Language, Ezek. xxviii. 9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Numquid dicendo dices, In saying thou shalt say. In saying he said it, that he was God, as if he would take no control either from earth, or heaven; yet it did not stand, because God did not say it, there was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 too for Herod, the people cried and said, that Herod was God: said it so, as not to whisper him so in a corner, but as with drum and trumpet to proclaim him so by popular suffrage, and yet it did not stand, because God said it not, Acts xii. 22. But here in the Text this Any I say it, and it shall stand, and the Scripture cannot be broken.  
Secondly, The Amarti, I have said; it may be demanded, Hath the Magistrate, and Judges, only the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Almighty for their Sanction? Titles of honour and dignities, especial executive powers, are not looked upon as valid, without hand and seal, as well as word: their Commission seems to be but slenderly fortified, that hath but his say for it. But it's enough in this case. There needs no farther sanction of any thing under the Sun, then, according to the known language of Scripture, The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. Jesus Christ hath no more for his regal power, which he universally exerciseth over the Church, or the whole world: and Supremacy is strongly enough vested in him by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of his Father, Psal. two. The Lord hath said, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. Consult the Linguists, and they will tell us, that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Verb in the Text, signifies his cogitavit, his dixit, his jussit, his constituit; his purpose, his declaration, his precept, his institution: so that by his Word he as well constituteth, as declareth. It was so in his first Creation, his dixit was his fecit, he spoke the word and every thing was made. It is so also in the methods of his Government, he calls things that are not as if they were, and they are that thing they were not, it was so as to Jesus Christ. So David our Psalmist telleth us, Psalm two. His 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in one verse is his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the next verse. In one ver. it is I have said; in the other constitui, I have set my King upon my holy hill of Zion: which telleth us, that the Father's saying was an authoritative constitution of the Son as King. And thus the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 1 Cor. viij. 5. is his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Rom. xiii. 1. His calling them Gods in one Text, is his ordaining them Powers in the other Text: as if he would tell us, that his calling is their valid and authoritative ordination. Hence is it, that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Substantive signifies autoritas, and potestas, as well as verbum; authority and power, as well as word: as if power and authority was truly derived from the Father's word. And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Princeps, or Judex, to tell us, that there needeth not farther a corroborandum to a Judge's power and authority, than this in the Text, I have said. Thus all is valid enough, both in the Any, and in the Amarti.  
Thirdly, but for the Magistrates Dignity in the Elohim: here we are more in the dark, then before in the other two; and it is not easy to apprehend, how Men should be Gods.  
First, we know, that these Twins, God, and Man, are not born out of the same womb: these Notions of God and Man do deny ad invicem very vehemently in Scripture. God and not Man, saith God of himself, Hos. xi. 9 Man and not God, saith God of Tyrus, Ezek. xxviii. 9 Christ only excepted, who by virtue of his Hypostatical Union was privileged for both.  
Secondly, a Deity and Immortality are inseparable. 1 Tim. vi. 16." who only hath Immortality. It is his own elegant Paraphrase upon the name Jehovah, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Who was, is, and is to come. And God himself immortalizeth his own Being in that comprehensive term of duration, I am: from eternity to eternity, he saith, I am, Exod. iii.  
Thirdly, the Scripture speaketh but of one God. 1 Cor. viij. 4. no God but one, one Lord and one God to us, v. 6. And God himself bounds this Mount, lest any should dare to approach, and boldly invade a Deity, Isa. xlv. 22. I am God, and beside me there is none; I am God, and there is none else. Yet behold the teeming womb of the Text, big with Paradoxes, more than Twins.  
First, speaking to the Magistrates, who indeed are but men, he telleth them, that they are Gods, contrary to the first. Hereby favouring the Anthropomorphite.  
Secondly, when he hath asserted them Gods, he doth with the same breath tell them, they shall die like men, contrary to the second. Herein falling into the Tents of the Theopaschite.  
Thirdly, here are mentioned Gods in the Plural, and so ratified by the Apostle, God's many, and Lords many, contrary to the third. Hereby reviving the exploded Heresy of the Polytheist.  
Methinks, now I should seem to have the Judge's Commission wrong end upwards; or, it to be like the hand-writing upon the wall in Daniel, written in foreign and strange Characters, so that the Wisemen could not read it; or, as Isa. xxix. 11. The vision is become like a book that is sealed, one saith Read: and that's my present task. But I may answer, I cannot, because it's sealed. But a due understanding of the Elohim, I hope, will be as the clavis or key to the Characters, and a clear solution to this seeming Riddle.  
We shall find, that in Scripture God hath many names. St. Jerome, and the Rabbins, sum them up to ten. But our task is not to find out how many he hath, but which of them are attributed to the Creature, and which not. To clear this we must know, That the Names of God are of two sorts; either such, as flow from his essence; or such, as flow from his influence; either from his incommunicable Being, or from his Communicable Attributes. Such, as flow from his Incommunicable Essence, or Being; as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 jehovah, Ehieh, jah, Shaddai: are proper only to God, and attributed to the Creatures never. Those Titles, by which God will be known, none else shall. Distinguishing Titles admit not of a Communication, lest all things should run into a parity betwixt the Creator and the Creature. This Name jehovah, the Ancient Jews, say is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, God's Proper Name, and he doth no less himself, when he saith Isa. xlii. 8. I am JEHOVAH, that is, My Name and my Glory will I not give to any other. The Learned observe, that this Name jehovah hath many Grammatical Privileges: As not to admit of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Emphaticum, nor any affix Pronouns, nor any constructive Forms, nor any Deolension. The Reason is given by Buxtorsse; Quia sui exhibet notitiam, nec alio signo opus habet. It is so glorious a Name, that it carrieth its lustre in its own face, that it need not as the Diamond from the foil, borrow any thing from such foreign helps. The Scripture calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Leu. xxiv. 11. that Name, by way of Emphasis; and God calls it himself Gloriosum & Terribile Nomen, Deut. xxviii. 58. My Glorious and Terrible Name. The Ancient Jews, dwelling too much upon these hints, dandled up the Notion to too great a height of Superstition, and it came to be amongst them a Name (as our learned Gregory expresseth it) of such immoderate reverence, that they imagined, that it was by that Name writ or engraven upon Moses' Rod, that, as by an holy and divine Charm, he changed his Rod into a Serpent, divided the Sea, and commanded Water out of the Rock; and that by which Christ himself, having it engraven upon his foot, did heal the diseased, and dispossessed Devils. Upon these thoughts the Jews were so far from attributing this Name to man, as they would not permit man to attribute it to God; but it must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sem hammphorash, or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, an inexpressible Name, to be separated from man's discourse, and not to be named, but expounded by other letters: and if any person, but the High Priest; or he in any other place, but the Holy of Holies; or there in any other case, than the Benediction, should adventure to name this Name, it was death by their Law. But our present Case will not be cleared by showing what was not, but what was, and is, and may be attributed to the Creature.  
You must know therefore, that those names, which flow from God's Communicable Attributes (of which there are many, one of which is this of Elohim) are given to others besides God himself; wherein he is pleased to communicate that Sovereignty and Power to the Creature, which is originally in himself, and herein doth as the Sun in the Firmament, reserve himself to be the Fountain of Light and Heat, even then when he dareth his Beams: for all those Names and Titles, that he dareth to men, they are but the Irradiations of Majesty, Power, and Authority upon them. But the next thing Considerable is to examine how these Titles and Names, particularly this of Elohim, is given to Man.  
Amongst the various ways of coming to the knowledge of God, mentioned in the Scriptures, this is one, per viam eminentiae, by way of eminence, that is, when we behold any excellency in the Creature, we trace it to God himself, and judge it eminently to be in him; and so we add the Name of God to that thing: as, the Cedars for their excellent height, because God is high, are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Cedars of God; the Lion, because of his strength, and because God is strong, 
Psal. lxxxx. 10. 2 Sam. xxiii. 20.  is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Lion of God; Mountains; because of their inaccessible height, and unvanquishable strength, are called often the Mountains of God: and thus Princes, Magistrates, and judges, because of the greatness of their Place and Office, and excellency of their Endowments, had this honour, to quarter their Escutcheons with God himself. Upon this account Moses first in Deut. xxxiii. 1. and David himself after, both as Princes, and David as Prince and Prophet; each of them had this dignifying Title 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the man of God: Nehem. xii. 24. But this ariseth not to satisfaction in our present Case, because here is not Elohim conjoined, but Elohim singly: and the Judges not called Men of God; but they, being Men, are called Gods.  
To satisfy this last and great scruple, we must know, that the Word and Name Elohim is attributed either properly or improperly in Scriptures. If properly, then it's given to God himself. Thus saith an Ancient Jew, Elohim est epitheton dominatoris aut judicis: & talis est vel universalis, dominium habens in mundum universum; vel particularis, ut judex inter homines. This Elohim is an Epithet or Name of Dominion and Judgement: and this either universal to one, that hath universal dominion over the whole World, or particular, as a Judge amongst men. And thus it is given to God as the prime, sole, absolute, Moderator of Heaven and Earth, as one who is Judge himself, as Psal. l. 6. and Judge of all, Gen. nineteen. And this Name properly belongs to him, or to any other, as Judge, passing Sentence and Execution. Upon which ground our Saviour Christ speaking to him as a judge, executing the severest right upon his Son, cried not jehovah, jehovah, but Eli, Eli; or, as Mark hath it, Eloi, Eloi, Mark xv. 34. And, if we may take the received opinion of the Learned, when this word Elohim is given to God, there is a word of the Singular Number added to it, as Gen. i. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Creavit Dii, The Gods created the Heaven and the Earth: that hereby they might hold forth the Unity of Essence, and the Trinity of Persons. Lombard in Part. 1. and Quest. 2. is very express in it, and Galatinus in lib. 2. De arcanis Catholicae veritatis, cap. 9 is much more elaborate in it: though the learned Buxtorf. in his Philolog. Theolog. Dissertation. De Nominibus Dei, brings against it nine cogent Reasons, which I cannot now examine; because, at the best, this will not serve our turn, as not being to the case in hand: Clear it is, that Elohim is God's Title; but we are to examine, how it's given to the Creatures. We must therefore consider, that this word Elohim is used improperly in Scripture; and so it is used either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, by an Irony, on by a Metaphor.  
Ironically, and so it is attributed to the Idols, which either the Heathen, or the Israelites at any time ignorantly worshipped; as judg. xvii. 6. it's said of Micah, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, he had a house of Gods, of Elohim, the right name of them was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as Psal. xcvi. 5. all their Elohim are Elilim, some think so called from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, quasi non dii, because they are not Gods, but this is something too short, they may be something, though they be not Gods. I think rather from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nihil, signifying nothing, coming up to the Apostles, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 1 Cor. viij. 4. An Idol is nothing in the world, and if by a reverential mistake Idolaters will have the Elilim turned into Elohim. God himself will by an Irony gratify their desire, and call them Elohim too, but to show that they are Gods, but of a spurious extract. The Rabbins make them to bear the note of Bastardy in their coat, and call them in contempt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the feminine gender. But neither doth this relieve us in our present case.  
Secondly, Elohim is attributed to the Creatures by a Metaphor, and so it is given either to Angels or Men. the Scripture owns this distinction, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. viij. 5. called Gods in heaven and in earth: Those that are called Gods in heaven are the blessed Angels; and that they are so, I shall not trouble you with many Scriptures; only compare two which will put it beyond all doubt, Psal. viij. 5. David saith, Lord what is man that thou art mindful of him? thou hast made him little lower 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 than the Elohim. But let Paul be David's Commentator, and he will tell us, that he made him a little lower 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 than the Angels, 
Heb. 2.7.  because they have a tutelary power vested in them over the Saints, being the Ministers of God for good, to them that shall be Heirs of Salvation, Heb. 1. ult. not so much out of Courtesy as Charge; for so he gives his Angels charge to keep them in their ways, as also to be the Instruments of his Vengeance upon his Enemies. They are called Gods, but yet this satisfies not; let us go but one step further, and it will bring us thither where we should be, and that is to the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Gods that are upon earth; and thus by a Metaphor it is.  
Secondly, attributed to Men; and so to Princes, Magistrates, and Judges; thus they are called all over the Scriptures: In the Old Law it frequently occurreth to us; Exod. xxi. 6. If the Servant will not departed from his Master, he shall bring him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to read it well, to the Judges, though in the text it is to the Gods; and Exod. xxii. 9 If the Thief be not found, the Master of the House shall be brought (el-Haelohim) to the Judges; and 1 Sam. two. 25. If one man sin against another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Judge shall Judge him.  
Rabbi Moses Ben. Majmon indeed (as if he intended to blunder the Magistrate's Commission, that it might not be distinctly read) he asserts that this Name Elohim is properly attributed to man, and but improperly to God, whom A. Barbanel that Learned Jew, undertaketh, as well he may in this contest, save only that he drives his shafts too far; and in avoiding Scylla he falleth into Charybdis, and striving to refel that Rabbin, who said that Elohim was properly attributed to the Magistrate; he doth it by the other extreme, and proves that Elohim is not either properly or improperly attributed to the Judges. And as for those Texts before cited, Exod. xxi. 6. & Exod, xxii. 8, 9 where the man is to be brought we read before the judges. He likes not that, but thinks by an Ellipsis, some word being understood, must be added to make up the sense, as in Exod. xxi. 6. his Master shall bring him: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, he would read it ad judicium Dei, to the judgement of God, not of the Gods; so the Elohim to denote not Man, but God. And he is confirmed in it, not only by the Septuagint, who reads it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, before the Tribunal of God; but also further by that Text, Deut. nineteen. 17. where he thinks there is the like expression: and it's said there they shall stand, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, before the Lord; which he takes to be the same as if it had been said before, the Elohim: and he argues as he thinks very strongly, thus: Num enim hie quoque dicemus, quod Sacerdotes & Indices Scriptura vocet Nomine Dei proprio tetragrammato. Shall we think that the Scripture calls the Priests and Judges by that proper Name of God jehovah: and if not by that, when they are said to stand before jehovah; why in the other, when they are said to be brought before Elohim. And if this be truth, the Judge's Commission may be laid aside, and we to seek in our Work, as to the Elohim in the Text.  
Therefore I think I may answer that learned Jew thus, granting him his main end, that Elohim is not attributed to man properly. Yet all that he saith doth not refel this truth, that it is attributed to man improperly, and by a metaphor: as for that Text, Deut. nineteen. 17. where they are said to stand before Jehovah, it excludes not the Magistrate, that Text includes them. They are said to stand before the Lord, and before the Judge, and when before the Judge, then before the Lord also, because the Judgement is his, Deu. i. 17. & he is with them in Judgement, 2 Ch. nineteen. 6. So that though God be Jehovah, yet the Magistrate may be Elohim; and though Jehovah cannot be given to man, yet Elohim may: let God have his Jehovah to himself, and man the Elohim. Or further, Psal. lxxxii. 1. where the Text saith, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elohim judicabit in medio Elohim. So that here is an Elohim for God, and yet an Elohim for the Judges: God he is, and yet Gods they are. So we read it in our Translation, God judgeth among the gods, so that God may have his proper and connate, and the Magistrate his derived and borrowed Elohim. And for his Ellipsis that our Author would have in those Texts, Exod. xxi. 6. & Exod. xxii. 8. it is neither necessary, nor convenient: not necessary, because the Chaldee Paraphrast, the Interlineary, the Haebreo-Samaritan, the Arabic, the Syriack Versions all of them have coram Judicibus, ad Judicem, or ad Judices, as we read it before the Judges. Besides, it's not convenient; for though it may be admitted in those two Texts before quoted, yet it will make us fall foul upon other Texts, where the Magistrates are called Gods, and where that supposed Ellipsis cannot be reduced to constructive sense; as in Exod. xxii. 28. Thou shalt not revile the Gods, nor speak evil of the Ruler of thy people, where there is a a manifest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, one term to explain the other, Revile, and speak evil, one and the same: so the Gods, and the Ruler of thy people, both one; and there it is Elohim, as in the Text. So in Psal. xxxii. 1. God judgeth among the gods. The later, Elohim must be taken for the Magistrate, 1 Cor. viij. 4, 5, 6. God's many, and Lords many, and that on the Earth which must be the Magistrate, and joh. x. 34. if he called them Gods, to whom the Word of the Lord came: where there is a manifest distinction betwixt the Lord, who sent his Word, and the Gods to whom that Word of the Lord came. So that I think we shall force this truth against all Cavil, that Magistrates are called Elohim, or Gods, in Scripture, according to that in the Apostle, There be many that are called Gods, which being thus cleared, will give life, and add much clearness to the Judge's Commission.  
Yet one thing more is here considerable, that, when it's spoken of and to Magistrates, it is as here in the Plural number, Elohim Gods. Some would have it because of the greatness of their office and place: and so according to the use and custom amongst us, who speak to Kings, and Princes, and Magistrates; and as they writ Nos in the Plural number, it's not only as matter of State, but upon good ground; datur id honori ejus qui ita appellatur, quasi ob dignitatem instar multorum e●●et, saith Crellins: as the people said unto David, Thou art worth ten thousand of us, 2 Sam. xviii. 3. or as others would. It is in the Plural number, because the Magistrate is not single, and alone, in Judgement. It's the sword of the Lord, and the sword of Gideon; Judgement is his, and he is with you in Judgement, 2 Chr. nineteen. 6. And we stand before the Lord and the Judge; and therefore it must be Elohim; but there is something more in it. And I am of Mollerus his mind, who saith, Nunquam tribuitur uni absolutè Elohim, 
Mollerus in Psa. 45.  qui simul addatur restrictio sive nota, The name Elohim is never attributed to one single person, but there is some note of restriction; as Exod. iv. 16. God told Moses he should be to Aaron in stead of God, not Elohim absolutely and simply, as in the Text, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, for, or instead of a God. But when he speaks it as here, absolutely, that they are Gods, he means it not of any one singly, but of the whole body of Magistracy. And Magistrates teaching us, that it is not a personal, but official Dignity; it's their Title, not ex dignitate humana, sed ex dignatione divina;" Not of Man's desert, but the Divine favour to confer it. And Gods they are, Non natura, sed participatione;" Not by nature, but by participation, borrowing their borrowed Deity from a higher person after this long and narrow discovery, That the Magistrates are called Gods. The next thing that deserves our consideration is, Why they are called Gods? the resolution of which will help us yet farther in the reading the Judge's Commission, and will be as the salt to the whole discourse, without which, the ambitious nature of man would tumify in the fond dreams of a Deity, the mistake is too easy to man's swelling apprehensions. This itch after a Deity above us, lost us, and exposed us to the Divine, but tart Irony, The man is become like one of us, Gen. iii. 22. Tyrus, arrogantly assumed it, and Herod ambitiously accepted it. But to both their Ruins, if we may believe the Learned, this was the first piece of Idolatry which crept into the world. So some read the Text, Gen. iv. last. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Thus then did they begin to call men by the name of the Lord. And very great if not more than probabilities, that from the first, men did either assume a Deity to themselves, or others did as impiously yield it. This deifying the Creature was the unhappy original of that sacrilegious practice of swearing by their Princes and Rulers, as by so many real Deities: as Horace of Augustus.  
— tibi maturos largimur honores,  
Jurandasque tuum per nomen ponimus Aras.  
Who was very shy of accepting the Title of Dominus, or Lord at first, but at last could swallow that of God also. Neither was this of so late a descent as Horace, and Augustus. For good Joseph got a smack by dwelling in Egypt, when so frequently he swore by the life of Pharaoh. It is most impious flattery to court mortality into God's Throne. And for man either to give, or take in this case. For the Samaritans to call Antiochus their God, though he acted more like a Devil; or as the Poet.  Edictum Domini Deique nostri. 
To look at the Emperor as Lord and God: for Merentius to demand those sacrifices which were prepared for the Gods, to be offered up to him as God, or for the people to intent to offer sacrifices to the Apostles, as so many Gods; though they rejected it with Why do you Sirs, since we are men of like passions with yourselves?  
My Lords, when I tell you, and that from the Lord, that you are Gods. I intent not to tell you that you can divide the Sea; Cause Jordan to stand up on heaps; The Sun to go backwards; Or the Moon to stand still, hereby to encourage you to lay claim to those unimitable footsteps of his power, if I should, you would soon convince me: as Canutus once King in this Island, 
Cambden in his Remains.  confuted his Sycophants that told him he was God, and could remand the aestuations of the Sea: He wrapped up his Cloak on an heap, laid it down upon the sand, and sitting upon it with his Sceptre in his hand: Commanded the Sea; but it would not obey him. I must here say either with that good old Father: 
Tertullian.  Imperatorem Deum non dicam quia vel mentiri nescio, vel eum deridere" non Audeo I dare not call the Emperor a God, either because I dare not lie, or because I dare not deride and mock him: Or else I must apologise with job xxxii. 22. I am not to give flattering Titles to Man, for then my Maker would soon reprove me: and the next words doth it effectually, Ye shall die like men.  
And yet Gods you are, Identitate 

Potestatis  
Titulis  
Operis  
Finis   by an oneness of 

Power.  
Title.  
Work.  
End.    
The Magistrate is 

1. Vested with  
2. Dignified with  
3. Employed in  
4. Directed unto   the same 

Power  
Titles  
Work  
End   with God himself.  
In the prosecution of which particulars: I would lay down this Rule: That what is spoken in Scripture of the Supreme Magistrate, holds also true of those that are sent of him: and what is spoken of inferior Magistrates, holds more true eminently of the Supreme. Thus the Scripture joins them together, 1 Tim. two. 2. For Kings and for all that are in Authority; and 1 Pet. two. 13, 14. Whether to the King as supreme, or unto Governors, as unto them that are sent by him: with the same subordination as all earthly power is into God himself. Now to proceed  
1. The Magistrate is vested with the same power that God himself is. Prejudge not the expression, until I clear it. The power in God and in the Magistrate is the same; God rules by his own power, and a Magistrate ruleth by God's Power; so that in both, the Power is Divine; only with this difference, in God the Power is Connate and Inherent, in a Magistrate but Derivative: yet their Power, because their substitution is Divine, is of the same stamp and impression: They are Dei Vicarii, his Deputy Lieutenants; they are the Fingers of that Hand which ruleth the World. The Apostle is very express for it, Rom. xiii. 1. All powers that be, are of God, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, of God, not only as all other Creatures, that are the Works of his hands: So of him are all things; take in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Text; and that will tell us they are of him, not only as Men, but as Magistrates; not only by Creation, but Institution; by Supreme Ordination over men, they are not oney 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 too, in the stead of. As God told Moses he should be to Aaron, in stead of God. As Ministers beseech, Magistrates command, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, in Christ's stead. They must needs be Gods before us, that are the Representatives of God above us; in whose Transactions God himself is concerned; as the Prince is in all the actions of his Minister of State; what they do in discharge of their duty, they do by him; and what they do, he is said to do: The Judgement is Gods, Deut. i 17. and David is said upon this account to sit upon God's Throne, 2 Chron. ix. 8. And Solomon, although he sat upon the Throne of his Father David, yet he is said to sit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, super solium jehovah, upon the Throne of jehovah. They must be Gods, that sit upon God's Throne: Hence all the injuries that are done to them, devolve upon God himself; Ye murmur not against us, but against God, Numb. xuj. 11. Hence God and the Magistrate are joined together in the same Law of Obligation and Obedience. He that obeyeth not the Law of God, and the Law of the King, let judgement be executed upon him, Ezra seven. 26. The Commands of Magistrates carry in them a Godlike Sovereignty, not only over the bodies, but over the souls and consciences of men; not only per concomitantiam, as the Schools speak, but where their Commands cross and check not, the Law of God himself, either in the particular Commands, or in the general Rules: Of it St. Paul saith, Rom. xiii. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Lepevery Soul be subject to the Higher Powers. Some will say, Soul there, is taken for the Person, or Whole Man, be it so; than it takes in the Soul as well as the Body: but the Apostle further explains himself; as his own Comment, Col, 3.22. where he reading a Lecture of subjection and obedience to inferiors, saith, Not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing God, do it hearty, as unto the Lord; hearty, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, he tells us there what he meant by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, every soul be subject; that is, from the heart or soul; true it is, that none can bind the soul or conscience, but God himself; but then we must take in God in the Magistrate. When the Magistrate commands, it's not man in the Magistrate, but God in the Magistrate that obligeth: he hath God's power, and because God's power binds, a Magistrates doth also. So runs the Texts, Obey fearing God, and as to the Lord, and for the Lords sake, and let St. Paul be Doctor in Cathedra, and he will soon determine the Case, Rom. 13.5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, not for wrath merely to secure the body from punishment, and to avoid man's displeasure; but for conscience sake, out of the sense of the divine obligation: and what's the English of all this but this, That the Commands of Magistrates that are lawful by virtue of God's power, with which the powers on Earth are vested, do bind the Conscience for God's sake: Thus they are Gods, as acting by his Power.  
2. Identitate tituli; They are dignified with the same Titles, as the result of an oneness of Power, except before excepted. We must give God leave to say to them, as Pharaoh to joseph; Only in the Throne I will be greater than thou, Gen. xli. 40. He hath a Name and a Glory, which he gives to none other. But it's worth our observation, that all along in the Holy Writ, the same Titles that are given to God, are also given to the Magistrate; whereby they may be called Gods, to give you a taste of some of many.  
1. To begin with that which is magnale Dei, that uncontrollable power; that absoluta potestas, by which he acteth, and is by reason of it said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 
Rom. 9.21.  as the potter hath power over the clay. And his Sovereignty is such, that he hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Times and Seasons in his own power, Acts i 7. And David saith Psa. lxii. 2. Twice have I heard that power belongs to God. The  Version and Vulgar Latin hath it, Potestas Dei est; insomuch, That God in Scripture is called Power, Mat. xxvi. 64. that voice that came from God in one Text, is said to come from the right hand of power. If God be called power, the Magistrate is no less. They are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 too, all powers that be are of God, Rom. xiii. 1. Be subject to powers, and obey Magistrates, Tit. iii. 1. God in respect of absolute Dominion is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that men may know the heaven's rule, and Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Prime of the Kings of the earth. And Magistrates are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, principalities, Tit. iii. 1. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Rom. xiii. 3. Rulers. God by reason of his strength is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Magistrates are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Thus we find it Acts xxiii. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, saith Claudius to Felix. God is called in holy Writ, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the only Potentate; the Magistrates no less, they are Potentates also. He hath put 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Potentates from their seats, Luke i 52. God in Scripture is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the glory, not only God of glory, but glory itself: as the Prophet, Jer. two. 11. The nations change their God, but Israel change their glory. And that voice which came from God, is said to come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 2 Pef. i 17. from the excellent glory. And Magistrates are so also, 
● Pet. 2.10.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, blaspheming the glories. God is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Primas, one who hath the primacy not only in time, but order, and is as much as pre-eminence; as Christ is said to have, Col. i. 18. Magistrates so also, they are Primates, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the chief of the people, Luke nineteen. 47. God is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Lord; it's his frequent Title, as supreme Moderator: and they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 1 Cor. viij. 5. Lords many. God is called Psal. xcii. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the High One: they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the High Ones of the earth, Isa. x. 33. God is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Great One; and they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Great Ones, Jer. v. 5. God is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Medicus, a Physician, to bind up wounds, and to give health and cure, Psal. cxlvii. 3. and the Magistrate is so called, Isa. iii. 7. a Healer, binding up the wounds of the body politic: as we see they come in their annual Circuits, Spring, and Fall, to give us physic. God is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a Saviour all the Scripture over, that saves his people by the greatness of his power: and the Judges and Rulers were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Saviour's, Neh. ix. 27. God is the breath of our nostrils, because in him we live, and move: and he gives life and breath. And as Job xxxiii. 4." The breath of the Almighty gives us life: and the Magistrate comes herein near God himself, in preserving a politic life. He is called the breath of our nostrils, Lam. iv. 20. The breath of our nostrils was taken in their pit. God in Scripture is called a Shield, Psal. lxxxiv. and Magistrates no less, Psal. xlvii. last, The shields of the earth belong unto God. God is called the Father, and Christ is called the everlasting Father, Isa. ix. 6. the Magistrate is no less amongst men, they are called nursing Fathers, Isa. xlix. 23. I will make Kings thy nursing Fathers. God is called a Shepherd, Psal. xxiii. 1. and Christ is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the chief Shepherd: the Magistrates are called Shepherds also, Isa. xliv. 28. Ezek. xxxiv. 23. David and Cyrus as Princes and Rulers are called Gods, and the people's Shepherds: Gods, as instituted by him; and the people as set over them, by their tutelage to defend them as a flock. God is called in Scripture, the Foundation that bears up the world, and the pillars of it: and Christ is called a Foundation, and a Cornerstone: and Magistrates are called Foundations also, Mie. vi. 2. Hear the Lords controversy, ye strong Foundations of the earth; and in the Text, All the Foundations of the earth are out of course, Psal. lxxxii. 5. And needs must they be Foundations, when in the next world he saith, They are Gods. But of this no more. But that received rule of Mollerus upon the Text, 
Wollerus.  Hos vobis attribui titulos, ut propter muneris societatem nominis mecum gereretis communitatem, bringing in God himself speaking to the Magistrates. In this wise I have dignified you with all titles of Honour, that it may appear, because of the association of Office and Power, you bold a community of names and titles with myself, and so ye are Gods.  
3. Identitate Operis, an oneness of work and employment. The Magistrate here may say as Christ: Hitherto my Father worketh, and I work. They are Children of the most High in the Text, and they do their Father's work. God doth his own work, where he undertaketh to judge; for Judgement is his: and the Magistrate doth God's work in executing Judgement; Accursed be he that doth the work of the Lord negligently, Jer. xlviii. 10. Propriè de Magistratibus & Judicibus dicitur, saith à Lapid. 
Cornel. à Lapid. in loc.  upon that Text. It is meant properly of Judges and Magistrates. The work of a Magistrate is Judgement and Justice, jer. xxiii. 5. it's spoken of Christ, its true; but as sitting upon the Throne of David, as a Prince, he shall execute Judgement and Justice, And this is God's work also, not only in his own hands, but in theirs. The work in his own hands we find Deut. x. 18. He executeth Judgement. And this work in their hands we find Deut. xxxiii. 21. He executeth the justice of the Lord. When God by the Apostle saith, Rom. xii. 19 Avenge not, he meaneth, Non de Judiciis publicis, sed de Praejudiciis privatis. And when he saith Vengeance is mine, and I will repay it; he means either by his own hand immediately, or by his Vice-gerents: for Vltio Magistratus est Dei ultio, & quum rependit Magistratus, rependit & ipse Deus, 
Spanheus. in Rom. 12.19.  saith Spanhemius. The revenge of a Judge is God's revenge, and when the Magistrate repayeth, it is God that repayeth by him. So saith the Apostle Rom. xiii. 4. The Minister of God a revenger to execute wrath. Jehoshaphat set Judges over the people, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the Judgement of the Lord. God as the Judge of the world hath his sword in his hand, and Christ as that man by whom God shall judge the world, hath his sword by his thigh, Psal. xlv. and the Magistrate because he bears a share in the works of Judgement also, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, he beareth the sword. And it's the sword of the Lord, and the sword of Gideon, Whatever acts of Judgement are mentioned in Scripture as to deliver the poor, and him that hath no help: to make the Widow's heart to sing, to be eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame; to be a Father to the poor, to break the jaws of the wicked, to maintain right, to relieve the oppressed, to be encouragement to the good, and terror to the bad, and to give every man according to his deeds, are mutually spoken of God and a Magistrate in Scripture. A Magistrates seat is the habitation of Justice, jer. xxxi. 23. and Judgement the habitation of his Throne, Psal. lxxxix. 14. Hence the Magistrate is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Rom. xiii. 5. Minister of God, a servant employed about his Masters Work. Are ye not afraid to speak against my servant, against Moses? The work is the same, and hence they are Gods.  
4. Identitate finis, both directed to the same end. God is his own Centre, and God is or should be a Magistrate's Centre. God's actions are all for himself, and all the actions of a Magistrates should be for God: Ye judge not for man, but for the Lord, is the Problem of jehoshaphat to his Judges, 2 Chron. nineteen. 6. The Queen of Sheba could tell Solomon, that God had set him up King for the Lord his God, 2 Chron. ix. 8. And God saith to David as a Magistrate, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Lord hath sought a man for himself, after his own heart. And David saith concerning Solomon, in Type pointing at the end of all Government, That his glorious Name may be magnified, and the Earth may be filled with his glory, Psal. lxxii. 19 that Solomon might be to Christ, as Christ to God; so a Magistrate to both; be their lively Effigies to perpetuate the memory of a God of Judgement: That in Solomon as a righteous Magistrate, his Name might continue for ever, verse 17. but it is in the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, filiabitur nomen ejus, that as the Father liveth in his Son, the Son taking both Name and Thing from him; so the Magistrate might be to God; that God might live in them as in his own Children; they receiving both Name and Thing from him: which will lead us to the express 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Text: which will in few words conclude the Judge's Commission, and clear it as in the Text, I have said Ye are Gods, and Children of the Most High.  
Thus My Lords I have been long in reading your Commission, because something obscure; but I hope I have done it so clearly, that no one can scruple one syllable of it; where I have discharged my second Task. There remains a Third, which is to give a short Charge from the Lord, who saith, You are Gods: For which I humbly beg your Honourable patience, and I shall leave you to God and your Work; and this in the Application of the Text.  
I have said Ye are Gods. My Lords, This Text tells us so, and it tells you so, That You are Gods. As it tells so, it presents us with what we own to you: As it telleth you so, it presents you with what you own both to God and us.  
1. It telleth us so, and herein we are taught what we one the Magistrate, viz. To own his power, and to yield obedience for the Lords sake; notwithstanding that Inhibition of the Apostle, Own no man any thing, Rom. xiii. 8. his meaning is, own not so, as not to pay, he is his own Interpreter, Render to every man his deuce, honour to whom honour. Obedience to Magistrates is a debt that we must be always paying, and yet always owing. Go unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's. That dream of the degenerate Aesseans, who taught the people to own no Power or Ruler, but only God himself; must not pass either for Tradition, or Doctrine with Christians; because it gives so clear a Check to the Apostle: Who saith, Let every soul be subject to the higher powers, Rom. 13.1. They that cry no King but Caesar, denying God his Supremacy over man, and they that cry no King but jesus, denying man his Supremacy under God, do both err, not knowing the Scriptures, and the power of God. Unhappy Levellers, that would thus make plain those Mountains, that should bring forth Righteousness, and the Hills that should bring forth peace unto the people, Psal. lxxii. 3. That man that can scruple man's power under God, will in time scruple God's power overman. To speak evil of Rulers is bad and forbidden, Exod. xxii. 28. but to speak evil of Dignities, and despise Dominion, and so to strike a blow at the root, is far worse, jude viij. and is that spirit that the Apostle told us should actuate the last and the worst of time. Subjection is every where commanded, and therein Dominion and Rule is founded. It is a weak mistake, that because the Apostle saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 1 Pet. 2.13. Obey every Ordinance of man; therefore Magistracy must be a humane Ordinance; and as it receives it rise, so it may be laid aside, according to man's pleasure. A bad Comment upon so good a Text. The Apostle Paul being witness, Rom. xiii. 2. who saith it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Ordinance of God, and he that resists, resists the Ordinance of God. Particular Ordinances may be humane, but the Fundamental Ordinance, which gives life to the power, must be divine; or let Magistracy be Objectively, Subjectively, and Terminatively Humane; yet Originally it must be Divine: Dominion and Sovereignty is part of the Image of God; whence Man in respect to his power over the Woman, is called the Image of God, 1 Cor. 11.7. And certainly none can impart the Image of God, but God himself; and the clearer we see the lines of Dominion and Power drawn over any Person, the nearer he comes to the Deity. And it should be a Noli me tangere to all tongues and hands of violence, Touch not mine anointed. It is storied that Phydias a Painter at Athens, did so curiously intermix the Picture of Minerva the Goddess and his own together, that no one could deface the one, but they must deface the other; hereby expecting that the Picture of the Goddess should be the dreadful Protectrix of his Effigies. But sure we may be, that God hath so curiously enamelled his Own and Man's Image together in a Magistrate, that none can deface the one, but they must deface the other; hereby expecting that his Image on a Magistrate, should be the Dreadful Protector of his Person and Power. Let no bold hand invade or usurp Christ's Charter, which is to put down all Power, Authority, and Rule; as 1 Cor. xv. 24. for Christ himself is to do it: when all derivations must revert into their Original, and he will call in all his Commissions, and Christ himself must surrender. That will be to make God All in All; but for man to preoccupate Christ in that work, will make God Nothing at all.  
Those filthy dreamers the Apostle speaks of jude viij. who despise Dominions, dreamers they are, and filthy ones; also they do but dream; because the Scripture cannot be broken. We read of two Rods the one of Moses, the other of Aaron. The Rod of Moses as a Prince, the Rod of Aaron as a Priest. The Rod of Moses as a Prince, swallowed up all the Rods of the Magicians, Exod. seven. 12. and the Rod of Aaron blossomed and brought forth ripe Almonds, without Earth, Numb. xvii. 8. to show that these two, Moses and Aaron; or as Zach. iii. and iv. Chapters, Zerubbabel and Joshua, Magistracy and Ministry are those two Sons of Oil, which as Zach. iv. 12. as two golden pipes, empty the Golden Oil out of themselves, and are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, standing Pillars, that shall stand before the Lord of the whole Earth. And men shall find it as easy to disannul the Law, that the God of Nature hath made betwixt Day and Night, Summer and Winter, as to reverse that Covenant that he hath made with David his servant as a Prince, and the Priests his Ministers, jer. xxxiii. 20, 21. and thus they are dreamers. But they are filthy ones also, thus the Apostle calls them; they defile the flesh, Judas viij. and therefore despise dominion, that there might be no heir of restraint, to be a terror to the evil; thus making provision for the lusts of the flesh; that as when no King in Israel, they may do every one what is good in his own eyes: thus they are filthy dreamers. And it would do well for men to consider that the Rod of Moses, when it was thrown upon the ground, was turned into a Serpent, Exod. iv. 3, 4. Let us take a survey of that Text, And hesaid, cast it on the ground, and it became a Serpent, and Moses fled from before it; and the Lord said put forth thine hand and take it by the tail, and he put forth his hand and caught it, and it became a Rod in his hand. We have seen the lively Comment upon this Text. The Rod of our Moses hath been thrown to the ground; our eyes have seen it, and it then became a Serpent, and we have felt it; and our Moses himself fled from before it, and we lamented it; but now God (through mercy) hath enabled him to take that Serpent by the tail; he hath caught it, and it became a Rod again, and a strong Rod to rule, and our souls rejoice in it. But hence let all know, that Moses Rod cast upon the ground, will become a Serpent, and that will carry a severe sting in the tail of it, They that resist, shall receive to themselves damnation.  
2. The second Application will run something more special to those that are concerned in matters of Judgement this day, whether they be to stand before, or to sit upon the Seat of Judgement. And first to those that are to stand before it, either as Plaintisse, Defendant, Witnesses, Council, or Iury. I know the claims of Custom, and the great Concerns in Judgement, call for a particular word to every one of these. I shall not be so prodigal of that little time I have left, as to expatiate too much upon every Topick or Common Place; only I shall make use of this one Director in the Text, unto them all successively, which may help them in the matters of Judgement, and it's this. He hath said they are Gods, act by his Power, are employed in his Work, the Judgement is Gods, and God is with them in Judgement, 2 Chron. nineteen. 6. and God judgeth and standeth in the Congregation of the Gods, Psal. lxxxii. 1, 2. Therefore my advice to you all, in what relation soever you stand, as it's given to my hand, is this, Deut. nineteen. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. As the Arabic version reads Sistent secoram jehovah. Let them set themselves before the Lord. So speak, and so do, as before the Lord, and as 2 Chron. nineteen. 7. Let the fear of the Lord be upon you, take heed and do it.  
1. To you who are Plaintiffs and Defendants, whom the Jews call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Viri litis. I hope it is not according to the proper Idiom of the language, which intends the signification, that you will prove yourselves litigious and contentious men, or men of contention. Yet you must know, that in all Law-contentions, there must be either an unjust complaint, or an unjust defence: and there lies the contention; to you I speak, who have any Causes to be heard before the Gods this day: Know that it is before the Lord you bring your controversies. Let them then be worthy such an inspection, to whom it is iniquity and a grievance, to find men to be the raisers of strife and contention, Hab. i. 2. Indeed the ancient Jews have a saying, Cui est Judicium causa, an't lis accedat Judicem; and it's but the transcript of the divine rule, and that gives the true English of it, Deut. nineteen. 17. Both the men between whom the controversy is, shall stand before the Lord, and before the Judge. But than you must know, they must be neither the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, nor the Prophet's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, neither the smallest matters, 1 Cor. vi. 2. nor unrighteous actions. Isa. x. 1. neither trivial nor unjust; we should not trouble God's Tribunal with that which wants either weight or right, such are better compounded then carried, the one being against the Majesty, the other against the Justice of that righteous Judge who standeth amongst the Gods. Petty Suits are the scab, and unjust ones the leprosy of Judicature; we must not cut out work for the Judge that needs not, much less that which ought not. An ancient Complaint, or an unjust defence, are equally harsh in his ears who is a God of truth and equity. Carry therefore all thy Causes to the balance of the Sanctuary, and the Bar of thine own Conscience, before thou bringest them to God's Tribunal, let them be thy Grand Jury, and if they return Ignoramus, let them die. It is good advice that is given thee by the wisest of men, Eccles. viij. 3. Stand not in an evil matter, stir not by complaint, stand not in it by defence; do but ask thy soul this Question; Dare I commence this action before God's dreadful Tribunal, if not, what doth it here? If the pretended mother of the Child had thought that she should have had to do with a Solomon, a man of a large heart, she would have desisted from her querulous falsities. But know that a greater than Solomon is here. Let a Spirit of Love and Peace, compound and take up. Let every man be willing to yield to right, though against himself. Man is not the Creature that God hath made to live in the fire, it is true of Humane, as it is said of Divine Laws, good if used lawfully, 1 Tim. i 8. There is a Curse that attends them, that delight in War; it's true of the Wars at the Bar, as well as those of the Field. These are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Apostle speaks of, James iv. 1. Wars and Fightings which come of our lusts. Turn not our Rephidim into Meribah, our pleasant Streams of Justice into the Waters of Strife; they will then be both Marah 05 and Massah, bitter to us, and we shall tempt the Lord, and say, Is the Lord with us, yea or no. We need not doubt it, for his is the Judgement, and he is with you in Judgement.  
2. The Witnesses may be directed here, and the Text speaks a word to you. Set you yourselves before the Lord, before whom you speak, and who weighs both your spirits and your words; you stand before the Lord, and the Oath of the Lord is upon you: your Evidence is Cynosura Causae, and directs to Judgement, as the Chard doth the Mariners to his Port. Prevaricate not before the Lord, who can detect your falsity, and will revenge the injury: God before whom you speak, is a God of Truth, and you had need be men of Truth, that you may appeal to God and say, as 2 Cor. xi. 31. God knoweth I he not: he is a Witness to thy Testimony. It is a dreadful thing to tell a lie at the Bar, and call God to be a Witness to it. The Ancient Jews have a Saying, which will sit us here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Qui vult mentiri amoveat testes suos, He that will tell a lie, must first remove his Witnesses. Tell not therefore a lie at the Bar, until thou be'st sure, thou hast removed God himself from the Bar. Look to the form of thy Oath, it is very full and pertinent. The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. The truth without equivocation, the whole truth without mutilation, nothing but the truth without addition. For the Jews will tell thee, Tres veritatem dixerunt & tamen perierunt, Serpens, Doeg, & Exploratores. Three told truth, and yet perished, the Serpent, Doeg and the Spies, that went to search out the Promised Land. The Serpent he told Eve that if they eat the fruit, God knew they should be as Gods, knowing good and evil; it was truth, but not without equivocation: they understood him of notional, but the Devil meant it of experimental knowledge: and hence he is called a liar from the beginning, John viij. 44. Doeg told Saul that Ahimelech the Priest inquired of the Lord for David, gave him victuals, and the sword of Goliath the Philistine, 1 Sam. xxii. 9 And this was truth, but not the whole truth, had he told Saul that David told Ahimelech that Saul sent him about some important business, he had saved the lives of many of the Priests of the Lord: and therefore Doeg is marked with the brand of a lying and deceitful tongue, Psal. lii. 3, 4. The spies told the Israelites there were Giants in the Land, and it was truth: but they did it with aggravation, and said it was not possible to overcome them, and possess the Land; and so they told more than the truth. They are herein said to bring 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a lying report, or a slander upon the Land, and they perished, Numb. xiv. 36, 37. What thou speakest before the Judge, thou speakest before God. Let not this Testimony come out of deceitful lips, lest whilst the Judge cannot detect thee, God comes to charge thee, (as he did by Peter to Ananias) Why hath Satan filled thy heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, Acts v. Tremble to think that God may by some amazing Judgement tell thee and the world, thou liest. The Jewish Adage tells thee, Qui loquitur lingua mala, perinde est, ac si abnegaret Deum, & peccat & in coelum, & in terram, He that speaks with an evil-lying, or deceitful Tongue, is as if he denied God himself, and sins both against Heaven and Earth. Remember that command that chargeth thee not to bear false witness against thy neighbour. Let not fear, malice, hope of gain, draw a false Testimony from thee, to draw thee into a pernicious lie. Know that mendacii merces vilis est, the wages of a lie is very dishonourable, a false witness being one of those six things which God abhors, and he that telleth lies is one of those that shall not escape, Prov. vi. 19 and nineteen. 5.  
3. The Text speaks a word to you, gentlemans, that are of the Counsel, you that are Magna Legis Oracula, the great Oracles of the Law, whom we consult, as of old, with whom, when, and how we should go to war. You are to the Judge in Civils, what John Baptist was to Christ in Spirituals, his forerunner to prepare his way; and you do it well, if you make crooked things strait beforehand. You may do it in your Counsel-giving, and in your Pleading at the Bar: and in both consider, that what you speak to man, you speak also before that God that knoweth well that the hand of Joab is in the cause, and can point out the very men that devise mischiefs, and give wicked Counsel in the City, Ezek. xi. 2. Your work is honourable, Christ styles himself the Counsellor, and its the greatest trust that you are capable of, for you to give Counsel, and we to follow it in our greatest temporal concerns. Therefore give it liquidly and faithfully, as before the Lord; liquidly and clearly, not as the Oracles of old, of whom it was said, Obscuris ambagibus responsa dabant, gave their answers enigmatically and darkly, that men knew not how to resolve them; give no uncertain sound to the battle, how shall men than prepare themselves to it. Give it faithfully also as God himself would, let every man see his cause through right perspectives, encourage no man to take up a bad cause, sound not a March when you should sound a Retreat, let not your Counsel be as Zedekiah's to Ahab, Go up to Ramoth-Gilead and prosper, when its Go up to Ramoth-Gilead and fall. Do not as the Oracles of Apollo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speaks, as Philip would have it; let the Counsel of peace come from you, and if possible, let your advice be the period of every Cause, the end of Counsel is not strife but cessation, 2 Sam. xx. 21. They asked Counsel at Abel, and so they ended the matter. Let us come to you as to the Oracles of God for truth and faithfulness. The Rabbinical Apophthegm is something tart, Cave tibi ab co. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Qui consulit tibi secundum viam suam, Beware of him that gives thee Counsel rather for his Commodity, than out of Conscience, than Absalon his Counsel will be given, every man's Cause will be right, and his adversaries wrong: and so a man shall seem just in his Cause, till his neighbour come and search him out, Prov. xviii. 17.  
In your pleading at the Bar, Consider that the Advocate or Counsel, the Jews called him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dulcescere, to sweeten: than it tells you, you are by all your verbal ingredients to sweeten the Law, & not to turn it into gall and wormwood. But if from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eludere, or deludere, than it tells you by an Antiphrasis, that you are not per verborum aucupia & tendiculas, as Tully speaks, by cunning constructions & Artifices, to rack the Law, & wreak the Innocent. You speak before that God that gives you in charge, Exod. xxiii. 1, 2. Put not thine hand to the wicked, neither shalt thou speak in a Cause to wrest Judgement: not a word for a bad Cause, not a word against a good one; let neither the depth of an Achitophel, nor the flourishes of a Tertullus, neither Policy nor Oratory be employed against right and equity. Let not the Law which is the hedge of common interest appear to be made only of thorns to prick and wound; nor the cloud of Justice, which should overshadow and relieve us. Be like that which pluit super eos laqueos is dissolved into snares to involve us. Raise no dust to darken a clear one, nor bring varnish to help the paint of a foul Cause. The woman which sits in the midst of the Epha, which is wickedness, Zach. v. 8, 9 having conceived and grown big, and now ready to bring forth; lend not your hand to deliver the monster, where your judgement and consciences conclude the cause bad. Let your tongues cleave to the roof of your mouths with St. Paul's resolve, 2 Cor. xiii. 8. I can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. Your Bar contests are Status Causae, where, as in our bodies the Disease and Nature, so here Right and Injustice are striving for predominance; do but thus conclude, that you are pleading before God's Tribunal; and than you will leave a bad cause to speak for its self.  
4. The Text directs a word to the ●ury, you are vested with a sacred power, and your Oath is a sacred Bond. You are Judices facti, Judges of the fact, and immediately lead ad judicium Causae, to the judgement of the Cause. You are the persons to whom all persons concerned in judgement look; you are to look upon the Prisoner at the Bar, to you one directs his Complaint, and to you the other his Defence, to you the Witness directs his Evidence, and the Counsel their Plea; and the Judge for his Sentence looks to you, and God in judgement looks upon you; you had need look to yourselves. Let God and the Country go together in your Verdict, in truth, righteousness, 〈◊〉 your work to prepare an even way 〈…〉 your Sentence of the fact, to the Judg●… 〈…〉 Law. Your Verdict is Crisis Causae 〈…〉 the Cause. Let not Justice have a b●… indication in that Critical hour, when you go from the Bar to consult and return to give your Judgement; God is with you in both. Be not led aside by fear, favour, or feud; be not persuaded, affrighted, or bribed into a false Verdict: let not God nor the Gods find from you a lazy or idle Verdict, huddled up to save the labour of weighing the evidence and circumstances: nor a sordid and covetous Verdict to take the advantage of more Causes. Act by Conscience, not Contagion; by reason, not an implicit saith, Non quâ itur, sed quâ cundum, let Conscience speak before your Foreman. Let not error in Judgement lie at your doors. The Talmudists have a saying for you, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Nè Judices proximum tuum donee pertigeris ad locum ipsius. Judge not thy Brother until thou hast set thyself in his stead. Bring no other Verdict against him, than thou wouldst be willing he should bring against ●●ee, or thou bring against thy own soul. In a word, let all persons concerned in Judgement so speak, and so do, as they may not through inadvertency have cause to say, as Jacob did once, God is here, and I am not ware of it. The Text is your sufficient Caution, he stands among the Gods, the Judgement is his; and therefore they are called Gods.  
Lastly, the Text speaks by way of special application my Lords, to you; the Judge is called by the Ancient Jews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Lord of Judgement, or the Judge of the Law. They shall stand before the Lord, before the Judge, Deut. nineteen. 17. your power is from him; your work tends to him; your persons represent him; you are Gods, and your Judgement is his; and this the Text tells you; and therein what you own both to God and us; in which I shall not be your Magisterial Dictator, but your humble remembrancer. The Text telleth us, 1 Kings x. 19 that Solomon had a Throne that had six steps to it, and the Jews tell us further, that upon those six steps there were inscriptions, and upon every step a remembrancer, that he might have his duty both in his eyes and ears. That when the King ascended up the first, the Officer cried 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Wrist not Judgement. When he went up the second, the Officer cried, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Respect not persons. When upon the third, he cried, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Take no bribes. And thus every step, until he came to sit down upon his Throne: that as in the Temple they had their Canticae graduum, Songs of degrees; so they had upon the Steps of the Throne Admonitions of degrees also. And this is no more than the Persian King was wont to have one to cry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. The English whereof I cannot give you in better terms, then in the words of jehoshaphat to the Judges, 2 Chron. 29.6. Take heed what ye do, ye judge not for man, but for the Lord. Let the fear of God be upon you, take heed and do it. You are Gods, than I have these two things to lay before you.  
1. Because you are Gods, let God be your end in Judgement, and his Glory the mark you aim at. His Glory is his own end, and his Glory should be your end. God makes all things for himself, and all powers that are of him should tend thither, as to their noblest end, 2 Chron. 19.6. Ye judge not for man, but for the Lord; and David was King for the Lord his God, 2 Chron. ix. 8. Non quae sunt hominis sed quae sunt dei judicatis. As jehoshaphat told them, The matters of the Lord, as well as the King's matters, 2 Chron. nineteen. 11. Power and Rule was not intended as a preservative of Humane only, but chief of Divine Interest; not bounds only to man's Injustice, but to his Impiety also: Not only that men might not like fishes of the Sea, who have no Ruler, devour one another, Hab. i. 13, 14. but that they might not trespass against the Lord; 2 Chron. nineteen. 10. The Apostle gives us the reason why prayers and supplications are to be made for Kings, and all in Authority, 1 Tim. two. 1, 2. that we might lead not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, not only quiet and peaceable lives, but in all godliness and honesty; religione & sanctimonia morum, in all religion and holiness of life; could you my Lords, so order it that we might sit under our own Vines and Figtrees in Peace, it would be very unequal for us, to be refreshed with the shadow of the Vine, and God to eat the sour grapes of it; he might say of your Judgement, as he did of Israel fasting, Zach. seven. 5. Have ye at all judged for me, even for me, O House of Israel. The Magistrate is Custos utriusque tabulae, and in God's order and method too, who saith the first is the great Command to be observed and preserved by man, God himself is most jealous for his own glory: So should a Magistrate, Non tantum pacis Custos & Armentarius, sed pietatis & Minister Dei, saith Melancthon. The Jews tell us that of the six Inscriptions that were upon the Steps to Solomon's Throne, the three lowest concerned Justice towards man, and the three highest Religion towards God; to let him know that when he sat in Judgement, Religion should be the nearest his heart, and first in his eye. Power and Rule should be as Jacob's Ladder, whereof as one end stood upon the Earth, the other end reached up to Heaven; and it's a good observation that one makes of Magistracy, that their motion should be as the motion of the Planets to the Primum Mobile. Philosophers tell us they are swift in the motion of the First Mover, and slow in their own. So they should see that a Nation be not carried down a torrent of violence; but more, that it be not carried down the torrent of wickedness. Then I hope I may tell you that all that Atheistical contempt of God's holy Worship, all those irreligious and horrid blasphemies, oaths, and curse of those whose language is of Ashdod, and their tongues swords and spears to God himself, all that impious profanation of the Lords Day; That Torrent of Belial, and Inundation of Debauchery that comes in upon us as a Flood, and abounds in every corner, and well were it if it would content itself with corners; whereby not only the power and heart, but the form and face of Religion seems to be lost: Such as these, are Iniquities to be punished by the judges. David cries out in this case, It is time for the Lord to work, for men have made void thy Law, Psal. cxix. 126. and if it be time for God to work. I am sure it is no time for the Gods to sleep; to whom should we as the Lords Advocares fly, but to you who are the Gods, and so to judge for the Lord. Awake up to Judgement, that men may not say that God hath forsaken the Earth; because the Gods seem to do so. It's observable that David and Solomon when they were employed in the Civil Affairs of the Kingdom, they are said to sit upon their own Throne, and upon the Throne of their Father; but when they looked higher, to reform Religion, to promote Godliness, to make them forsake their strange Wives, as well as their strange Gods, than they are said to sit upon the Throne of the Lord, 2 Chron. ix. 8. 1 Chron. xxix. 23. The end of Magistracy is as Isa. i. 26. to purge away our dross, and take away our Tin, that we might be called the City of Righteousness; and to that end he gives Judges as at first, and Counsellors as at the beginning. His promise is to make our Officers peace, and our Exactors righteousness, Isa. lx. 17. that we might be a holy people, Isa. lxii. 12. than may we expect a blessing when we are the Mountain of Holiness, as well as the Habitation of justice, jer. xxxi. 23.  
It is neither glory to God, nor honour to a Magistrate, when the people is Gomorrah, or they called the rulers of Sodom, as Isa. 1.10. My Lords, you bear the sword, and its the sword of the Lood. Act by his example, who alluding from the sword in his hand, to the sword in his mouth, saith, Gen. vi. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Non erit tanquam gladius in vagina detentus, my spirit shall not be always as a sword in its sheath. Where God sets his face against, you must not hid your eyes from: where God stretcheth out his arm, you must not have yours in your bosom: where God draws his sword, you must not sheathe it. God's sword is drawn, and sharpened, and furbished against iniquity. Hold you it in your hand, that iniquity may be afraid; you bear it not in vain, but as the Minister of God for good, a terror to the evil, and let it appear so. A Christian Magistrate should go as far as Gallio went, who told them when they complained of St. Paul, that if there was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Any wrong or wicked lewdness; wrong to man, or lewdness against God: it was then reason he should hear them, Acts xviii. 14. And David is their example, who said, he would as Pater patriae, early destroy all the wicked doers out of the Land, Psal. ci. 8. as the Wiseman saith, A King sitting upon his Throne of Judgement, scattereth away all evil with his eyes. Let it not be as it was said of Laish, Judg. xviii. 7. No Magistrate to put them to shame in any thing. The words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, no heir of restraint. Power and rule should be as its prime end, a restraint to evil, the Law being made for the ungodly, 1 Tim. i 9 and that restraint best acted, which is done by an heir of restraint, who hath right as well as might: the word signifies both possidens regnum, and haeres interdicti; a possession of the kingdom, and an heir of restraint. We have, blessed be God, possidens regnum, one that now possesseth the kingdom: and as a greater mercy, haeres interdicti also, whose right it is. Let not the restraint be wanting. My Lords, it will lie at your doors for our haeres interdicti. Our Gracious Sovereign, out of his pious and princely care, hath publicly and passionately declared his Royal displeasure at, and dislike of the profaneness and debauchery which abounds in the Nation, and hath in Print charged us to stir up those that are in Authority to put forth this restraint, by execution of those good Laws in this case provided. I humbly therefore, being backed by the commands of God and Man, press this upon all that are in place and power, to give a curb to this growing wickedness. The well-tempered Spring loseth its virtue and strength, if the lesser wheels and balance, that should regulate the motion be out of tune. Let Eli his Sentence caution you, 1 Sam. three 13. for the iniquity that he knoweth of: Qui non vetat, quum potest, jubet, He that restraineth not, commands, as Ministers contract the guilt of those sins they do not reprove: So Magistrates of those things they do not punish. They became vile, and thou restrainest them not." I said thy house should continue before me, here is the Amarti in the Text, I have said. And though men and devils cannot disannul his word, yet God himself can reverse it. But now be it far from me, Those that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.  
2. You are Gods; then let God be your Rule and Exemplar in Judgement, be as he is, and do as he doth in Judgement. Baldaeus telleth us that there ought to be a double salt in a Magistrate, Sal Scientiae, and Conscientiae, the Salt of Science and Conscience: by the one he will know what to do, by the other he will do according to what he knoweth.  
1. Sal Scientiae, the Salt of Knowledge; and that is either Juris, or Facti: Knowledge of the Law, or knowledge of the Fact. First, for the knowledge of the Law. A Judge must be a man of knowledge; Provide able men, saith Jethro to Moses, Exod. xviii. 21. they must be Viri virtutis, Men of inward strength. As Apollo's was said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, mighty in the Scriptures, so must they be in the Law. God is styled a God of Knowledge, and by him all actions are weighed, 1 Sam. two. 3. The knowledge of a Magistrate is his balance wherein he doth librare justitiam, weigh forth Justice to others, it is his Standard and Rule whereby he measureth the actions of men. But of this My Lords, when I speak before you, I may without flattery apologise with St. Paul to Agrippa, Acts xxvi 2. I think myself happy that I am to address myself to you, who are expert in the Laws and Customs of our Nation.  
Secondly, for the Scientia facti, the knowledge of the fact, it is as necessary. When a Magistrate walks on in darkness, he must stumble, and the foundations of the Earth will be out of course, Quum judicas cognosce, is the monition of a Heathen, When thou judgest know, what thou judgest. A Judge should be to the people instead of eyes, God himself will know and see before he striketh, Gen. xviii. 21. I am come down to see whether sins be according to their cry. Quanquam Deo aperta, tamen non punit Audita sed visa. They were well known to God, so that not out of his own necessity, but for our Imitation he punisheth, not what he heareth, but what he seethe. Christ as judge, Isa. xi. 3. Not according to hearing of his ears, or sight of his own eyes, but with righteousness shall he judge. My Lords, your Sentence is Terminatio Causae, the termination and period of every Cause. One word from you in the Prophet's phrase, destroyeth a man and his house, even a man and his heritage; and therefore your Sentence had need be well grounded, the Judge's Sentence must be the ●sh●e of examination and deliberation. Let it be true, that he is to proceed secundum allegata & probata, it must be examinata also; as God himself came to examine whether Sodom's cry was true; and Deut. nineteen. 18. If a false witness rise up against a man, to testify against him that which is wrong, the judge shall make diligent inquisition: And job cleareth himself thus, The cause which I knew not I searched out, job xxix. 16. The Jews had a Saying to this purpose, In ostio caulae verba, sed intra septa ratio. Words may be in the door of the fold, but reason and understanding must be within the hedge. God himself doth librare justitiam, weigh his Justice. And Astraea you know, the Hieroglyphic of justice, as she hath a Sword in one hand, so she hath a pair of balances in the other; to tell you that you must ponder and weigh before you strike. The Rabbins have an elegant Saying here, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Beatus est judex qui fermentat suum judicium; drawn from the Israelites, who because of their haste, could not stay to leaven their bread: the meaning of it is, That judge doth well, who is not hasty in judgement. Deliberation and Consultation is the fermentation of judgement; not as David in haste gave Ziba Mephibosheth's Land, and at the best, bade them divide it. Mistake not the Hieroglyphics of justice so, because justice was pictured blind, therefore a judge must put out his eyes; he must be quick sighted in every thing, but what may tempt him to pervert justice.  
2. There is required Sal Conscientia, the Salt of Conscience, that he may do according to what he knoweth; this telleth you that you must do Justice Effectually and do it Impartially.  
First, Do it Effectually, God doth so, he is known by the judgement which he executeth, Psal. ix. 16. and so should you make it your business to execute true Justice, as God prepares his Throne for judgement, Psal. ix. 7. Will God pervert justice, is an Interrogatory that he vehemently denieth, job. viij. 3. it's far from God, it should be far from a Magistrate, as one of the greatest Solecisms that can be committed. Injustice in a Judge, leaves injustice at God's Door, and shall not the judge of all the World do right? One foul Sentence is of more dangerous import then many foul examples; the one corrupts but the stream, but the other the fountain; as Prov. xxv. 26. Fons turbatus & vena corrupta, est justus cadens in suâ causâ coram adversario. A troubled Fountain, is a just man falling in his cause before the wicked. The Jews have a Saying, Qui pervertit judicim perinde est, acsi perverteret jus Dei & depelleret pedes Majestatis ipsius. For a Judge to pervert Judgement, is to pervert Gods right, and to thrust away the feet of the Almighty: who walks in the paths of Judgement, hear David's elegant Anthem, 2 Sam. xxiii. 1, 2, 3. David the son of jesse said, the man raised up on high, the anointed of God, the sweet Psalmist of Israel said, the spirit of God spoke, the God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spoke." A large Prologue" to usher some matter of weight, it's but this, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. And Deut. xuj. 20. That which is altogether just, shalt thou follow, pure justice, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as your margins read it justice, justice, Shalt thou follow, the Ingemination denotes the affection with which God speaks it; and the strictness with which you should execute it; hence Judges are called, Dan. iii. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, quasi, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, quorum jus purum est, whose Judgement is or should be pure, and Christ as Judge sets you a pattern, Isa. xi. 5. Righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.  
Secondly, Do it impartially, God doth so, and respects no man's person in Judgement. The Jews tell us that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, signifieth both Aures and Bilances, the ears and a balance, upon this ground that a Judge's ear should be as the tongue of a balance, stand in aequilibrio, equal to both parts, till the weight in the scale make it incline to either side; Causa non persona, The Cause not the Person, should be a Judge's Motto, hence the Athenians, the Egyptians and the Thebans pictured Justice blind, and without hands; their Judges being appointed to sit in the dark, that they might know no man's face but his cause. The Jews say, Qui aut amici aut inimici personam induit judicis exuit." He that acts" either as a friend or as an enemy acts not like a Judge. He is not for fear as Pilate, nor for savour as Herod, nor for hatred, as Ahab, nor for hope as Felix, to pass any Sentence: Justice must run with an even course, without the weight of any balancing interests, thus execute true Judgement in the Gate, and do no unrighteousness in Judgement, and you will prove yourselves Gods, and Children of the Most High. Hear not mine, but David's Suasives to mind you:  
1. He tells you v. 1. God standeth in the Congregation of the Gods. He is Inspector morum, your Dreadful Overseer, and is privy to your Sentences: Let not Judgement (in the Prophet's phrase) be far off, when there stands a God of Judgement so near you. The Wiseman tells you, Eccles. 5.8. When there is a violent perverting of Judgement and Justice in a City, a higher than the highest regardeth it; and Job xxxvi. 7. His eyes are with Kings upon the Throne: So with you upon the Seat of Judgement.  
2. He tells you, you are foundations, v. 5. and upon you the whole fabric leans, it is to you (as the people to Moses) that we come for Justice. If the foundations be out of course, the fabric must fall; you will be our happiness if you execute true judgement in the midst of us. The judges used to sit in the Gate, to show us that justice and judgement is a stronger Palladium to the City, than all the tutelary gods; we may take the measure of our peace and happiness by the line of justice which you draw over us. justice is the pulse of the Body Politic, Hab. i. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, our Translation reads it, the Law fails, or is slacked, and judgement goeth not forth; but debilitata est lex, reads the interlineary; and the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it relates to the pulse of a natural body. Cessabat motus vel pulsus cordis, saith Shindler, the motion or pulse of the heart is ceased, to try the health, we feel the pulse of the body; a weak or an intermitting pulse is a bad indication of a declining state.  
3. He telleth you v. 6. you are Gods, and Children of the Most High●, it is your Honour, and brings you the nearer to God, if you execute true judgement in the Gate. You will endear both God and man by it: Men you will: Absalon by but pretending to it, stole away the hearts of the people, 2 Sam. xv. 6. Job as a Prince and judge, put on judgement as a Robe and a Diadem, job. xxix. and the eye that saw him, witnessed his honour, and the ear that heard him, blessed him, and waited for him as the latter rain, v. xi. 23. He that ruling over men is just, is as the morning when the Sun ariseth, a morning without clouds, as clear Sun shine after rain, 2 Sam. xxiii. 4. and you will take God, being herein as David after his own heart, he will delight in you, as you delight in justice and judgement; who will be ready to say, jer. xxxi. 23. The Lord bless thee, O habitation of justice. The Rabinical Apothegme is to this purpose, Qui judicat veritatis judicium facit Majestatem divinam habitare super Israelem. He that executes true judgement, makes the Divine Majesty to dwell in Israel.  
4. He telleth you, you must die like men. As the Magistrate is the breath of our Nostrils, so his breath is in his Nostrils. As the Apostle telleth us, Heb. 7. There are many Priests who are not suffered to continue by reason of death; so there are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Many Lords that are not suffered to continue by reason of death; Christ alone is the Prince and Priest after the power of an endless life. It is an observation of the Learned Verulam, That the sum of what may be said to a Magistrate, lies in these two, Memento te esse hominem, and Memento te esse Deum. Remember thou art a God, and Remember thou art a Man: the one as Calcar, the other as Fraenum, the one a Spur, the other a Bridle; a Spur to act like God, and a Bridle to keep them from acting like Man. My Lords, this clause of David's Sermon tells you, that there will be a time when you must cease to judge us; execute therefore true judgement in the Gate, that when you come to lay aside those Scarlet Robes, and each of you to receive your W●●t of Ease from the King of Kings, and to lie down in your earthen Beds, the fruit of your righteousness may be peace.  
5. He tells you v. 8. God will judge the Earth, and be Judge himself, Psal. l. 6. with a Selah for you, and us to mark, and after you cease to judge us, God must then judge you. Pass no Sentence therefore here, but what may abide the test, when every man's work shall be tried by sire: It was said of Nerva, that he comforted himself in this. Se nihil fecisse quo minus imperio deposito privatus tutò vivere possit: That he did nothing during his Government, but his power being laid aside, he could live safely a private life. It is well for men in power, so to act, as that they may freely look man in the face; but it is a great deal better, so to act, as that they may be able with cheerfulness to look God in the face. The Jews have a Saying, Quem admodum judicasti ad lancem Innocentiae, & imaginetur sibi judex acsi gladius inter faemora, & ei gehenna aperta fuisset." As thou hast judged by the balance of" Innocency, so the Supreme Judge shall judge thee. Therefore let the Judge upon the Bench imagine to himself, as if he had a Sword between his thighs, and as if Hell was open before him. So judge us here, whilst we stand before you, that when you come to stand before God, you may change your Judgement Seat, for Thrones, there to sit, and judge the Twelve Tribes of Israel.  
Lastly, one word of application general to us all, and I have done. Magistrates are Gods, as representing him, and doing his work in judgement: Then God is judge himself, and he will judge the World, and there is a judgement to come, and these are but the Prologues to that dreadful Solemnity. And it cannot well be, that we being helped on, by such Monitors, should be unmindful of that day, these being so lively representatives of it; and lest we should, these are our Annual Remembrancers, all we who are but Spectators of others judgement, must be persons concerned in that upon our own accounts, where we all shall have our Last Trial, not for Temporal Inheritances, but for Eternity. The true Notion of judgement to come well considered, made Felix tremble when he sat upon the judgement Seat; much more will it have that effect upon us, when we come to stand before it. Can we hear of the coming of the judge, and not think of that, wherein it is said, He cometh to judge the World in Righteousness, riding his last Circuit upon his Cloudy Chariot, Psal. xcvi. 13. Can you behold the great Conflux of people from every Quarter to this Solemnity, and not think of that day, wherein he shall call to the heavens from above, and the earth beneath, to his judgement, Psal. l. 1, 4. Can ye behold the person of the Judge, and not think of that man by whom God hath appointed to judge the World, Acts xvii. 31. Can ye hear the Trumpet sound before the Judge, and not think of those formidable Heralds of that Day; when he shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and the Trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised, 1 Thess. iv. Latter End. Can ye behold these (as the Poet calls it Ignita purpurea,) so here upon better reason these flaming Scarlet Robes with which the judge sits vested, and not think of those flaming Robes which that judge shall come clothed with, when he shall come in flames to render vengeance upon all ungodliness, 2 Thess. i. 8. Can ye behold the judge sit down upon his Seat to take cognisance of all Causes Criminal and Civil, and not behold as in a Vision, Christ sitting down upon his Seat, to take cognisance of all things done in the body whether good or evil, 2 Cor. v. 10. Can ye behold the justices of the Peace upon the Bench, as judicis Coassessores, Coassessors with the judge by joint suffrage, ratifying the sense and proceed at Law. And not think of those Coassessors with the Great judge, who shall judge the World, and sit upon Thrones, by joint suffrage and assent, ratifying the proceed of that judge, 1 Cor. vi. 2. Can ye behold the Gaol delivery, the prisoners conducted to the Bar by the jailor, and surrendered up to justice; and not think of that great Gaol Delivery, wherein Earth and Sea shall give up their dead, and small and great shall stand before God, Rev. xx. 12, 13. Can you see the Books opened, every man's Case stated, Inditements read, Witnesses produced, and circumstances proved, and all fit for Sentence; and not think of those Books which shall be opened, wherein all our actions are registered, and we all shall be judged out of those books, Rev. xx. at which time there will be imprisonment without Bail, Indictment without Ignoramus, Conviction without Plea, Sentence without Writ of Error, Execution without Reprieve, and Judgement without Mercy for all Sinners; all which though it be the least in men's thoughts, yet it shall certainly come, and its prudence beforehand to set ourselves before that Tribunal. And when we behold the guilty felons at the Bar, with pale face,, and akeing hearts, let us think every one of us, jam mea res agitur, our part is now acting. And thus reason, Seeing we look for such things, what manner of persons ought we to be in all holiness of conversation; and knowing the terror of the Lord, let me persade you to pass the time of our sojourning here in fear. Homo timet Regem qui forte cras morietur ne puniat eum, & non timet à Rege vero in cujus potestate est anima nostra in hoc faeculo, & in venturo. Aben Ezra in Exod. xx. 3. We fear the Magistrate, who may die too morrow, lest he should punish us; but fear not the great King, in whose hand our souls are in this life, and that which is to come. The jews have left a good caution behind them. Haec tria consideres & non incides in manus transgressionis: Vnde venis, quo tendis & coram quo tibi ratio reddenda sit. Consider these these three things, and thou shalt not fall into hands of transgression: Whence thou comest, whither thou goest, and before whom thou must give an account. So speak and so do, as those that must be judged by the Royal Law, the strictest Rule, and stand at his Tribunal, who is the severest judge; that we may with freedom go to meet him in the air; not having the black stone of condemnation, and so to fall; but the white stone of Absolution, and so to stand in Judgement, and be for ever with the Lord.  
And thou O Father, who hast appointed to judge the World by that Man jesus Christ, and wilt convince the World of sin by thy Holy Spirit: Send down thy Spirit into our hearts, and so bless these thy servants who are now to judge in endowing them with a Spirit of judgement; that they may so execute the justice of the Lord in this their day, that they may not fear to stand before that Great Tribunal, in the Day of the Lord. And so bless and direct us all in our passage through this Valley of Tears, that we living in thy fear, not to the will of the flesh, but to the will of God; we may all, when we come to meet at that Great Assize, be found blameless, and without spot at his appearing. And this we beg for the Sake and in the Name of jesus Christ our dear Redeemer, to whom with thee, O Father, and the Holy Ghost, be all Glory and Honour, now and ever. Amen.  
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